A Shadow over the Sun
by nero749
Summary: After defeating Hades and helping the Nora rebuild, Aloy returns to Meridian. There she is reunited with Avad. Aloy wonders whether this time they can be together. But before anything can be resolved between them, Avad is attacked. It doesn't take Aloy and Avad long to realise this wasn't just an attack, but rather the start of a coup.
1. Chapter 1

The two guards were clutching their spears, looking uneasy as Aloy dismounted her strider, as if they feared the machine would attack them the moment Aloy let go of it. Instead the strider just stood there, peacefully, seemingly unaware of the people around it. Aloy smiled briefly at the guards, trying to ease their minds; since Aloy had defeated Hades, a lot of the machines had become less dangerous, but many people still feared them.

Aloy looked up to take in the city before her. It had been many seasons since she had been to Meridian, and it felt almost new to her again. As did many things. Already there seemed to be new plants growing, and animals had been spotted no one had seen before. Aloy was still unsure of exactly how Gaia worked, but she could see her effects everywhere she travelled. The Nora themselves had taken to worshipping Gaia, Aloy had tried to explain the truth, but whether they didn't understand because they hadn't seen for themselves, or whether they simply _wanted_ to believe, they refused to listen to her.

Aloy slowly made her way through the colourful streets of Meridian. She was no longer the only Nora who frequented the city, though there were still only a handful of them who left the embrace or the sacred lands. Even though it was now permitted, and though they had now formed a kind of alliance with the Sun-king of Meridian.

Avad had kept his word and was slowly trying to dismantle the system that had been in place since before his father took the throne. The people still saw him as a divine ruler, but he was trying to change that. He had already started with making the city more equal, providing for its poorest citizens even as many of the nobles disagreed with it.

Aloy eventually reached the palace, it still looked as it had the last time she was here, saying goodbye to Avad before setting out to find Elisabeth's grave, and then join the Nora in rebuilding. Even if she felt little connection to the Nora, she knew Rost had, and it was more in honour of his memory than for herself that she had participated in the rebuilding of their homes. Aided by the resources sent not only by Avad himself but also the Osram, who appreciated what the Aloy had done.

Aloy had expected to find Avad on his throne, overseeing the land, but instead she only found Blameless Marad.

"Aloy," his warm voice greeted her. "How nice to see you again. You look well."

"Thank you," Aloy answered, "it's good to see you as well."

Marad smiled at her, a knowing smile that made Aloy slightly self-conscious. "He's waiting for you over there"he simply said, gesturing to the comfortable seating area just out of sight.

Aloy nodded, smiling shyly, and turned around.

Now that she was so close, Aloy could feel her heart fluttering nervously at the though of seeing Avad again.

Aloy saw Avad before he noticed her. He was sitting on one of the sofas, dressed in ceremonial clothing as always. He seemed lost in thought, studying his hands. Aloy must have made a noise when approaching him because he suddenly looked up.

"Aloy!" he exclaimed, and immediately got up. He quickly approached her, arms almost reaching out, it looked for a moment like he wanted to embrace her, but then seemed to think better of it, quickly dropping his arms again. "You arrived sooner than I expected," he mumbled, looking as nervous as Aloy felt as he fidgeted with his clothes.

"I... err," Aloy couldn't find the words to say what she wanted to say.

"I'm glad to see you," Avad suddenly said, composed again, and smiled.

"And I am glad to see you," Aloy said, glad for his initiative.

They both awkwardly looked at their feet as if suddenly they had became strangers rather than two people who had experienced a war together, and at the very least could call each other friends.

"Please, sit," Avad eventually said.

Aloy sat down at his suggestion and Avad sat down next to her. "I am no longer the only Nora here, it seems," Aloy said.

Avad laughed. "Yes, to the dismay of some of the nobles."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I think they'll find there will be more changes coming they will like even less," Avad said with a smile.

"I've already heard of some changes you've made while I was away," Aloy said.

"And do they have your approval?"

"Yes," Aloy said, "I suppose I just wasn't sure whether you would really... well - "

"You weren't certain I would really do what I said I would, when we first met?" Avad offered.

"Yes," Aloy said shyly, wondering whether Avad would take offence.

But Avad only smiled. "I can understand why you would have your doubts," he said. "But I have wanted these changes since before I took the throne, I would implement all of them sooner if I could. But traditions aren't changed so easily."

"I know," Aloy said, thinking back to the Nora, still worshipping in All Mother mountain, even after all the revelations.

"Perhaps one day you might even find me here without this," Avad said, gesturing to his clothes.

"You mean to give up your throne?" Aloy asked.

For the first time since arriving, Aloy could see some sadness in his face. "Perhaps, but to be able to abdicate, I would first have to become a king, not a sun-god." He said, mocking the term.

"You wouldn't want to rule?"

"I would want the choice, and I would want the choice to be the people's. My father proved that birth should not be what determines who will rule. Blood does not grant you the ability to lead a people. And no man should be considered a god."

Aloy thought back to how her friends had looked at her, back when they had witnessed her defeat Hades, how she had become more than just Aloy, more than just an outcast. How she had railed against their adulation, but had found herself trapped by it back home. "I understand," she said.

Avad looked up at her, "I suppose you do.". They smiled at each other, and thneAvad took her hands in his. "I've missed you," he said warmly.

"Sun-King," Marad's voice suddenly called. Aloy pulled her hands from Avad's, suddenly feeling self-aware. "Jamman is here, he is looking for an audience with the Sun-King."

"Ah, of course," Avad said, getting up. "Excuse me," he said, turning to Aloy, "I will speak to you later," he offered her his hand to help her up, "I hope," he added, truly seeming unsure whether Aloy would remain in Meridian long enough to see him again. "I have asked my workers to ready Olin's old apartment for you, it's yours if you decide to stay in the city."

"I... thank you," Aloy said. Avad nodded at her and turned to leave, followed by Marad who looked back at Aloy for a moment before following his king.


	2. Chapter 2

The apartment was clean and some of the furniture had been changed out, presumably Olin and his family had taken some of it for their personal use, and it had been replaced by newer furniture.

Aloy felt exhausted from the long journey and when she lay down just to rest her eyes a little, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Aloy didn't wake up until she repeatedly heard knocking at the door. She had no idea how long she had slept, but it had to be night by now. Still sleepy she got up and opened the door. "Avad!" she exclaimed. He was dressed in normal clothes, and wearing a big cloak around his shoulders, but she recognised him immediately.

"Can I come in?" Avad asked, looking up from under the hood.

"Of course," Aloy said and stepped aside so he could enter the apartment.

"I wanted to come here without taking any of the guards, hence the disguise," Avad said as he removed his cloak. He was wearing a normal shirt, or at least what passed as a normal shirt in Meridian, made from a fabric more delicate than anything she'd ever seen with the Nora, and gold decorations stitched onto it. Avad was also not wearing his headdress; instead his black hair was loose, looking messy and longer than Aloy had expected.

"I did not know the Sun-King went around visiting people's homes," Aloy said.

Avad smiled, "at times, but normally only with an escort of guards, of course." Avad took Aloy's hands into his, "but I wanted to see you, alone."

"Avad, I - "

"Please, let me speak," he said. "I know I spoke too soon, all those years ago, tried to pursue something before its time," he said softly, "but I want you to know my feelings for you have never waned, never diminished."

Aloy felt her cheeks burning. "Avad, I can't... I can't be anyone's replacement," she said.

"Aloy, I know you think I only asked you to stay then because of my grief for Ersa, but that's not..." He paused and seemed to really consider his next words. "I shared a strong bond with Ersa, but at that time I had already accepted we would never be together, that it was impossible, and a notion I had to let go off. I still cared deeply for Ersa, but I had already given up on that possibility. I wanted her by my side as a friend, a trusted advisor. When she died... I grieved for her, but I had already mourned the love we could never share. It was the wrong time to ask you to stay by my side, I realised that the moment you rejected my offer; it was too soon after what had happened, and you had a path to follow that would take you far from the city. But my feelings have never faltered, and I still - "

A thunderous roar interrupted Avad's confession. Aloy and Avad looked at each other, both shocked, then looked around them. Aloy got up and opened the front door, looking for the sound's origin.

"Aloy! Watch out!" Avad's voice came from behind her. Aloy turned to see Avad being dragged away by two men she recognised as being Shadow Carja.

Aloy drew her bow and manage to shoot one of the men through the head, killing him instantly. The other tried to rush her, his axe lifted above his head, ready to strike, but Aloy managed to dodge him and create just enough distance between them for her to draw her bow again, and shoot him in the stomach. The man staggered back and before he could recover his footing, Aloy leaped forward and finished him with her spear. The man's body collapsed to the ground as Avad rushed forward to meet Aloy.

"Are you all right," they asked in chorus, both holding on to each other's arms.

"Those were Shadow Carja," Avad said.

"I know, I recognised the armour," Aloy said.

"I thought the Shadow Carja had joined with the Carja?" Aloy asked.

"Most of them, yes, but there is still a small fraction who feel... differently than the others did," Avad said.

"How would they know you were here?"

"They must have followed me from the palace," Avad said.

"Maybe you shouldn't have come here without a guard," Aloy said.

"This isn't the first time I've been in the city by myself, I know the paths to use to avoid attention," Avad said. His look turned quizzical as he looked up at Aloy. "Would you have preferred I didn't come here tonight?" he asked, his voice slightly tense.

Aloy opened her mouth to speak, but wasn't sure if she was willing to be honest about how happy she had been to see him at the door. "I think we should get you back to the palace," she said instead. "Where there are guards."

Avad only nodded and followed her.


	3. Chapter 3

The city was quiet, the stalls were empty, and the streets were deserted. But still Aloy worried someone might spot her and Avad, and recognise their king. A worry Aloy couldn't shake until she saw the two guards at the bridge that led to the palace.

"Aloy, who is with–" one of the guards started, before recognising Avad's face. He mumbled an apology and hurriedly got out of the way to let them through, his cheeks flushing red.

"I wonder what they must think of us right now," Aloy said, "they have to be wondering why we're walking around here at night. Especially with you dressed as you are."

"And us being out in the city together," Avad said with a smile.

Aloy blushed. "That too."

They reached the palace itself and Avad was greeted by a three of his guards, all seemed surprised to see him.

Avad turned to Aloy, "this is where you leave me, I suppose?"

"You'll be safe here, at least until tomorrow when I can try to investigate what happened. I will see you tomorrow," she said quickly before he could protest.

"Until the sunrise then," Avad said as Aloy turned to leave.

She quietly made her way over the bridge, lost in her own thoughts, thinking about what had happened this night, and what could have happened if they hadn't been interrupted. Reaching the end of the bridge, Aloy noticed that the two guards had left their post. She almost didn't consider it further, but then she noticed the smallest drop of blood on the floor. Using her focus, Aloy discovered a trail of blood, almost invisible to the naked eye, but with her focus she could follow it easily. Running along the highlighted tracks, she kept her eyes ahead, already knowing what she would find. Still hit her hard when she saw them. Two bodies. The guards.

Aloy turned on her heels and ran back across the bridge and to the palace.

"Avad!" Aloy called out, but he was nowhere to be seen and neither were the guards.

"Avad!" she ran around the palace, equipping her focus, frantically trying to find a clue. There was nothing. But then she noticed it, feet sticking out from behind a screen. Aloy rushed forward, her heart raising. _It isn't Avad_ , she thought to herself, relief washing over her. Aloy looked down at the body, she recognised the armour; this was one of the Shadow Carja. There was a large, fresh wound across his face and chest, clearly he was cut down by a blade, probably by Avad himself.

Aloy looked around the area and noticed that one of the wooden railings had broken. Aloy carefully approached the ledge and leaning forward a little, she spotted a small group of people climbing down the rocks, one of them was carrying someone... _Avad_.

Jumping over the edge, Aloy kept her eyes on the man carrying Avad, slowly climbing down the rocky surface. Aloy remained on the small ledge she had climbed down to. She felt angry and scared, but she realised she would have to wait for them to reach the ground, otherwise any action on her part might cause Avad to fall to his death.

When they finally reached the ground, Aloy started her climb, constantly keeping her eyes on the men. The climb was slower than she wanted it to be and a few times she dislodged some rocks, she watched as they tumbled down towards the men, but they didn't seem to notice the rocks ,or her.

It wasn't until she had nearly reached the ground, that Aloy noticed the men had machines with them; three striders calmly waited for their riders. In the years since she had rebooted Gaia, a lot of the machines had become calmer than before, no longer attacking people on sight, and some were able to be trained. But besides the Banuk, no people really wanted to try it.

Aloy crouched down on a small ledge, watching the men as they lifted Avad's unconscious body onto one of the striders. Quietly, Aloy dropped from the rocky wall into some tall grass. With the grass hiding her, she sneaked up to the man standing closest to her, standing at the very edged of the tall grass. Aloy readied her spear, she was close enough to reach out and grab the man when he finally noticed her. The man turned to confront her, but Aloy jumped up, and already dragging him into the tall grass with her, she drove her spear into his chest.

Neither one of the other two men noticed what had happened, but eventually the taller of the two noticed the third man's absence, and he ordered the other man to look around while he stayed with Avad.

Aloy slowly moved back a little, worried the man might spot her, and not sure she could kill him without the taller man – who kept his eyes on the other man as he looked for the third – seeing her. Her heart pounding, her mind racing, Aloy flattened herself against the rock as much as she could, hoping the man would somehow walk by her. The man looked right at her. His hands clasping a blade. He started to move directly to Aloy's position, and she felt her heart sink, knowing she had to kill the man before he saw her, but that that would risk the taller man taking Avad or even killing him if he spotted her killing the other man. But then, behind the tall man, Aloy suddenly saw a glimmer of metal. Someone else was here. Someone Aloy recognised.

Vanasha moved swiftly around the tall man, her knife already drawn. His was dead before he even realised someone was right behind him.

Aloy knew this was her chance as well, and she swiftly got up – much to the surprise of the man looking for her – killing him with her spear.

"Vanasha!" Aloy exclaimed.

"Who would have thought to find you here, in the middle of a plot to kidnap the Sun-King," Vanasha said sarcastically. She walked over to Aloy. "Feels familiar, doesn't it?" she asked, referring to many seasons ago, when they had saved Itamen, Avad's brother.

"A little bit," Aloy said, smiling. Vanasha embraced her. "Delightful as ever I see," she said.

"How did you know to come here?" Aloy asked.

Vanasha's broad smile disappeared and her whole body seemed to tense up. "They came for Itamen

first," she said, "but I don't think they meant to kidnap him."

Aloy was about to ask Vanasha about where Itamen was now, when she got distracted by the faintest of sounds, coming from the strider where Avad still was.

"Help me lift him to the ground," Aloy said, already rushing over to the strider. Together they carefully lifted Avad from the horse and laid him down gently in the grass.

"Avad?" Aloy spoke softly, her fingers reaching out to brush his cheek.

Avad groaned a little and touched his forehead, winching at his own touch.

"Aloy?" he asked, mirroring her concern.

"You're okay," Aloy half asked, half stated. She lay her hand flat against his cheek, and Avad covered her hand with his own, smiling weakly. "Are you?"

Vanasha burst out laughing at the absurdity of the question. "You're the one we found unconscious!"

This sudden reminder that they were not alone, made Aloy quickly pull her hand back. She rose to her feet and offered Avad her hand to help him up.

"Vanasha," Avad said, as if only now fully aware of her presence, "where are my brother and his mother?"

"They're save, I hid them away, but I figured if the Shadow Carja came for us, they would come for you as well."

"She saved you," Aloy added.

Avad seemed more surprised than he should be, considering Vanasha's skills. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I would ask you now to return unseen and keep my brother safe."

"Of course," Vanasha nodded. "But... are you not coming with me?"

"I have to find out how many people are involved. I thought the Shadow Carja no longer a threat, but tonight I was attacked twice. Once by my own guards."

"They were disguised as guards?" Aloy asked.

"No, they _were_ my guards, men I had known for many seasons."

"You think they were recruited by the Shadow Carja?"

"Either that or they have been laying in wait for a long time," Vanasha said.

"Yes, and I intent to find out," Avad said.

"I think you should go with Vanasha," Aloy said, "be with Itamen."

Avad shook his head, "I'm not letting you face them alone," he said. "They will cut you down as soon as– "

"And you think they would do any less to you?" Aloy interrupted.

"No, but I– "

"You're not a warrior, you're not a hunter, you're a king, Avad, you should go with Vanasha," Aloy said, even though she knew it would hurt him to hear it.

"I might be King, for now, but I did receive training, first at my father's command and later with Marad."

"Where was Marad?" Aloy asked, as it suddenly dawned on her she hadn't seen him anywhere.

"I... I'm not sure," Avad said.

"He was missing from his post?" Vanasha asked.

"Yes, I believe so," Avad said.

"Do you think he... well, that he might have been recruited by the Shadow Carja himself?" Vanasha asked.

"No," Avad was adamant.

"Maybe they– " Vanasha started, but Avad stopped her.

"Marad's loyalty is not in question," he said firmly.

"Then they might have gotten to him," Aloy said.

"One way or another," Vanasha added, stubbornly.

Avad gave her a loaded look, but remained quiet.

"Aloy and I will investigate," he said, "while you rejoin Itamen and his mother."

"Avad," Aloy pleaded.

"I am coming with you," Avad said unwaveringly.

Aloy sighed and looked over at Vanasha, who just threw her hands up as if to say that she didn't know how to stop Avad either. "All right," Aloy conceded, "we should start at Sunfall. That's where they were hold up."

"There should only be Carja living there now," Avad said.

"Still," Aloy said, "I believe we should start there."

"Well, this is where I leave you two to deal with the more interesting parts of this mess," Vanasha said. She walked over to the tame strider the Shadow Carja had been using to transport Avad, and mounted it, seemingly unworried about riding a machine. "Try to come back at least mostly alive," Vanasha said as she nodded at them before riding off on her own.

Aloy turned to Avad. "You're sure you want to come with me to investigate?"

"I believe I made that clear," Avad said, smiling.

"All right then," Aloy said, defeated.

With the sun already starting to rise, they set off for Sunfall, together.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun was already rising above the horizon. Neither Aloy nor Avad had had much sleep this night, but they decided to keep going, hoping to reach Sunfall before dusk. Aloy had suggested to override one of the striders they came across, but Avad seemed hesitant, so they went on foot. Aloy had given up on trying to convince Avad to return to Meridian; she had to admit he might be right, after all if Avad's own guards had been willing to hand him over to the Shadow Carja, the city could be the last place he should be.

They came across a travelling merchant, Aloy bought some supplies, and also a blade for Avad. By the time they finally reached Sunfall, it was dusk; a red sky loomed above them as the final beams of sunlight illuminated the highest buildings of the settlement.

Avad and Aloy decided to wait until nightfall, before heading into the settlement to investigate. Avad sat down in the dry grass. Aloy sat down next to him and reached for her bag; taking out some food. "Here," she handed Avad a piece of bread. "I realise you're probably used to more, but it will have to do."

"I think I can endure it," Avad said, smiling at her.

Aloy ate her own food in silence, her eyes fixed on the settlement.

"It looks... quiet," Avad said, following her eyes.

"Yes," Aloy said, still chewing her food. "I think if we're going to find any Shadow Carja still living there, they will likely be hidden away in the old ruins, that's where I would be."

"You've been there before?"

"Yes, it's where Helis' men caught me."

A worried look flashed across Avad's face.

"I'll be more careful now," Aloy half-joked.

Avad suddenly jumped, a startled look on his face.

"What?" Aloy quickly got to her feet, fearing the worst.

"I... nothing," Avad said and he quickly sat down again.

Aloy frowned at him and was about to ask again but then she saw them, a small group of grazers, standing very close by. "They're harmless," Aloy said as she sat down again. "Since I reset Gaia, they do not attack people on sight any more, they're more likely to flee than anything else."

"I know that," Avad said and from his tone Aloy could tell he still felt uncomfortable.

"It's normal to still be hesitant around machines," she reassured him. "After years of living with them attacking people with no provocation, it's only natural."

"I know," Avad said, "but it's not just that..."

Aloy looked at him with curious eyes, but wasn't sure if she could ask him to elaborate.

Avad took a deep breath. "I... I never told you this, but I was attacked by a machine as a child," Avad paused and then laughed, "I suppose all of us have at some point."

Aloy didn't laugh. "What happened?"

Avad bit his lip. "My father," he said. Aloy remembered enough stories from the time Avad's father still ruled to understand the weight behind those words. She didn't press Avad, but gently put her hand on his.

Avad looked at her hand before gently taking it into his own. "My father... he wanted to train me you could say," Avad kept his eyes on their interlocked fingers. "I suppose it was tradition, for the young princes of our family to ride a trampler during one of our annual feast. But of course this tradition was from a time when the machines could be tamed. When everyone could ride them like you do. So my father took me and my brother to our estate outside of the city to learn how to ride a trampler. When we got there the machines had already attacked many of the servants who tended the estate. The man who had trained my father was there to train us, but he didn't even dare come near the machines. But my father was adamant that we would ride them, that his sons would not be the first to break the tradition. So he put us in the trampler's enclosure."

"Just you and your brother?" Aloy asked, appalled.

"Yes," Avad smiled weakly. "Kadaman was braver than I was; he tried to approach the machine. For a moment it looked like he might be able to ride it, but then it suddenly stormed right past him, right at me. Kadaman managed to distract it, he threw rocks against it, broke off a few components and as soon as the trampler turned I ran back to my father. And Kadaman got the full brunt of the machine. Nearly killed him," Avad's voice grew quiet.

"I'm sorry," Aloy said, "that sounds horrible."

"Sometimes I wonder, if I didn't fail to repay that debt to Kadaman, when I failed to stand up to my father the day he... he killed him."

"He was your father, it can't have been easy to stand up to him at all, you must have realised you would need to kill him, I don't think you can blame yourself for being hesitant to kill your father."

Avad looked up at Aloy's face. "Yes, but how many people would be alive today if I had acted sooner. How many of _your_ people would have been spared?"

Aloy flinched at hearing him refer to the Nora as 'her people,' but said nothing of it. "Just think how many people you _did_ save, and _will_ save by changing Meridian for the best?"

Avad smiled and squeezed her hand at that.

They sat in silence for a while. Aloy looked at Sunfall; there were no people in view now and the night sky was dark, the stars shining bright against the deep indigo sky. "I think it's time," she said and Avad nodded.

They buried their bags in the sand, marked by an odd rock formation. Avad put the blade Aloy had gotten for him on his belt. They made their way to the settlement's gates, making sure to stick to the tall grass and shadows. They slipped in unnoticed, and took the lowest streets to make their way to the opening of the ruins. As the entrance to the ruins came into sight, Aloy noticed there were two guards there. This confirmed her suspicions, that the Shadow Carja were hold up in the ruins. There was no other reason the guards would be there. The settlement itself was deserted and with the Shadow Carja officially reintegrated into the other Carja there was no reason to expect any kind of attack.

"I say we go in and find out how many of them there are, if there are too many, we seek out allies before confronting them."

"If we know who we can trust," Avad said.

"Yes, that's why you have to stay hidden until we find out who is leading them, and how they're recruiting people who should be loyal to you."

Avad pursed his lips, "are you saying you believe Vanasha, you believe Marad is with them?"

"I don't know," Aloy admitted, "I don't know him well enough."

Avad looked like he was about to speak in protest, but Aloy had already started to make her way to the guards. She climbed on top of a small wall, to keep out of their line of sight. Avad followed her, but made sure to keep his distance so she could decide on a route first. Aloy's eyes followed the guards' movements, making sure they didn't notice the two figures on the wall. Slowly Aloy approached them, climbing on top of the rock the ruins were buried in, and waiting there until Avad had joined her.

When Avad had reached Aloy's position, she pointed at the man closest to Avad and Avad nodded in silent agreement. Avad took out his blade, and Aloy held on to her spear. Their eyes met, and on Aloy's cue, they jumped down from the rock and on top of the guards. Aloy killed her guard in one swift movement; before he could even realise what had happened her spear had pierced his heart. Next to her the body of the other guard dropped. Avad had killed him as efficiently as she could have. Aloy wondered idly what other training Avad's father had put him through.

"This door," Avad said, touching the smooth metal, "is it one of those you told me about? A door of the ancients?"

"Yes," Aloy said, "I suspect the Shadow Carja are using focuses of their own, because I know no other way to open these," she said as she equipped her own focus and the doors opened for her.

Inside the ruins were as she had left them many seasons ago, but now they were lit by numerous torches. Aloy and Avad slipped in, and hiding in the shadows as much as they could, slowly made their way through the ruins.

"There's no one here," Avad said. "Not even guards it seems."

"They must be deeper inside he ruins," Aloy said. "Maybe they feel safe here, because no one is meant to be able to open those doors." Aloy took the lead. "Just stay close to the walls, and in the shadows."

As they slowly made their way through the deserted corridors, Aloy started to here the faintest sounds; voices carried to them on the wind. There were people in here with them. The voices grew louder until they reached the end of the corridor, and Aloy could see two men standing on look-out for a closed door. Or they were meant to be on look out at least. The men looked bored, both sitting, slouched against the wall, their eyes closed, their weapons discarded on the floor; clearly they did not expect anyone to come here.

Aloy looked over at Avad, with a nod she told him all he had to know, and in unison they moved on the men. Without even thinking about it, Aloy shifted her weight to her toes, and closed in on the man closest to her. The man was dozing off, his head leaned back against the wall, his eyes closed, his breathing heavy. Aloy was close enough to touch as she raised her blade. In one swift movement, it was over. She took no pleasure in the kill itself, but she felt relief at having pulled it off in silence. Aloy turned to see if Avad was managing, but as she turned she bumped into the body now slumped against the door, hitting him hard enough for his head to flop to the side, throwing his helmet off.

The metal helmet landed with a loud clonk on the floor. The guard in front of Avad immediately woke up and at the sight of his dead friend started shouting. Avad cut him off quickly, and so efficiently that Aloy started to wonder what Avad's training had been exactly.

But there was no real time to react to any of it, because at that moment the doors flew open. The man Aloy had killed fell backwards into the room behind the doors. Half a dozen men gasped simultaneously. And then they saw Aloy and Avad.

One man ran straight for Aloy and hit her head on, knocking them both to the floor, he pinned her arms above her head, controlling both her wrists with one hand as he reached for his knife. Aloy struggled under the man's weight, trying to get free from his grip, trying to lift herself enough so she could bite him. Behind the man she could suddenly see Avad come into view, or his leg at least as he kicked the man square in the stomach, before being dragged off by two other men. Aloy took advantage of the opportunity Avad had given her and she pushed the man off her, scrambled back up on her feet, grabbing her spear and piercing the man's chest with her spear.

Aloy spun around to see where Avad was, but he seemed lost between the 5 men still left. Aloy's heart skipped a beat. Quickly she drew her bow and shot one of the men right between the eyes; killing him instantly. She quickly drew another arrow and managed to kill another man before the remaining three rushed her. Aloy took out her spear again, hitting the first man to reach her hard in the stomach, and the next over the head. It was enough to slow them, but not to stop them. She still couldn't see Avad.

Just as she was about to hit the third man with her spear, the first one recovered and struck her across the chest with his own spear, the tip of it just scraping along the exposed skin of her neck.

"Aaargh!" Aloy took a step back, dropped her spear and took out the small blade she always carried. She lashed out at the man closest to her, who jumped back to avoid being cut. Another man tried to grab her knife wielding arm, but she quickly lashed out at him, her blade leaving a red gash across his face. The man gasped in pain, covering his face with his hands, seemingly surprised by the blood.

The other two launched themselves at her. Aloy frantically waved her blade at them. But they pushed through, the knife cutting their arms but not enough to stop them from grabbing her. Aloy struggled against their grip but she could feel she wasn't strong enough to escape. But then, by some miracle one of them let her go. Aloy watched as the man suddenly collapsed, a red spot on his chest quickly spreading. He fell face first, and she could see an arrow sticking in his back. Aloy took advantage of this distraction and quickly picked up her spear and killed the other man.

Aloy could now see Avad lying on the ground, but she couldn't go to him yet. She knew there had to be one man left, and she frantically looked around the room to see him before he attacked, but then she spotted him, lying on the floor, a single arrow stuck in his head. And there, amidst all the bodies was Marad. Dressed in Shadow Carja armour.

"Marad!" Avad said as he got up from the floor.

"Avad," Aloy said, her relieve at seeing him get up on his own temporarily trumping her surprise.

Avad noticed the tone of her voice and looked at her with a mix of surprise and hope.

"I'm glad I found you both _alive_ ," Marad said.

Avad put his hand on Marad's shoulder. "I'm so glad to see you, when you were missing from your post, I feared the worst," Avad said.

"I should –," Marad started, but Aloy cut him off.

"Where were you?" she asked. She didn't want to be suspiscious of Marad, but remembered what Vanasha had said.

"Let me explain," Marad said, responding to the accusation behind Aloy's words.

"There's no need," Avad said, glaring at Aloy.

""Why are you wearing that?" Aloy pressed.

"First let us get out of here," Marad said. "There is another exit further into the ruins, we could use that."

Aloy nodded, though she wondered if she should let Marad lead them anywhere. "But first I have to know more about what's going on here. Who is leading the Shadow Carja and what do they want with Avad?"

"You will not find that information here," Marad said.

"Really?" Aloy asked, dubious.

"These ruins are only the place they house the new recruits. They train them in the old arena and once they're fully trained they are moved somewhere else."

"And you know this how?" Aloy asked.

"Aloy," Avad said.

"Because I let them recruit me," Marad said.

"Marad?" Avad started, doubt seeping into his voice.

"It seemed the best way to find out what was happening. I had seen changes in the behaviour of the guards, I knew something was going on, but I had no way of knowing what."

"So you join them without telling anyone what you were planning?" Aloy asked.

"They had to believe I was part of their cause," Marad said.

"When did this happen?" Avad asked.

"A while back but it was only recently that they invited me to train here. I convinced them I had to stay at the palace and only come here for training, because otherwise you would become suspicious."

"You couldn't have at least told someone they planned on taking Avad and his brother?" Aloy asked, incredulous.

"They did not tell me," Marad said, "I suppose they don't trust me yet."

Aloy looked at him with doubtful eyes. She looked over at Avad and he too no longer seemed as sure as he had been before.

"We should really leave," Marad said.

"All right," Aloy said, "lead the way."

As they made their way through the ruins, Aloy made sure to stay close to Avad, unsure whether it was because of the scare of seeing him disappear during the attack, or the fact that she wasn't sure if she should trust Marad. Avad himself seemed lost in thought.

"Here it is," Marad said as they approached a large door. "Your focus should open it."

Aloy equipped her focus and prepared to open the door.

"Is that?" Marad said. "Wait!"

But it was too late, the doors opened and two heavily armed guards were right behind it. Marad, Avad and Aloy immediately backed away from the door. One of the guards lifted a large weapon and as he was preparing it, Aloy recognised it as a firespitter.

Marad rushed the man without hesitation, knocking the firespitter out of his arms. Aloy rushed over and quickly picked it up, she was preparing the weapon, but before she was done the other man tried to rush _her_ and so instead she used the large gun as a battering ram, knocking the man in the stomach. The man buckled over, coughing. Aloy didn't hesitate and hit him over the head, knocking the man to the ground.

Marad quickly cut down the other man and then turned to Aloy and Avad. "We should get Avad somewhere save," Marad said, "but not the palace, I–"

Avad yelped, and Aloy almost screamed as they watched Marad collapse to the ground, a blade still stuck in his back.

The guard who had struck Marad down, drew another blade, now prepared to attack again, but Avad drew his own blade faster and cut the man down before he could do so to them.

"Marad!" Avad sunk to his knees next to Marad.

"Listen," Marad said, his hand clasping Avad's arm, "I heard them talking through the door, something about the Hunter's Lodge." Marad groaned in pain, talking was clearly hurting him. "I don't think Meridian is safe for you," he said.

"I know," Avad said. Then he turned to Aloy, "Aloy," he pleaded with her, and she could hear how he was afraid he was to lose Marad.

Aloy tried to quickly think of what they could do, where they could go for help. "Marad, where do they patrol here?" Aloy asked. Avad looked bewildered.

"The arena," Marad said simply; he was in too much pain to question Aloy's motives.

"Aloy, we need to get him to a healer," Avad said.

"I know," she answered, biting her lip. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" Avad asked impatiently.

Aloy took a deep breath. "We leave him here," she said.

"We... what?" Avad asked, clearly trying to keep his calm.

"Think about it, if the Shadow Carja find him here, wounded between all the dead guards and recruits, they won't suspect him. He can stay here and find out more about the Shadow Carja and their plans."

Avad shook his head.

"And," Aloy continued," it's the fastest way to get him to a healer. All we have to do is get into sight of a patrol, they will sound the alarm, find Marad and get him help. If we take him with us to _find_ a healer... I'm not sure he will make it."

"Aloy, we cannot just –"

"I agree," Marad said. "This is the best plan."

Avad shook his head, "I..."

"I know," Aloy said, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Avad looked at her and then at Marad. "All right," he said and got to his feet.

They turned to leave but just before they did Aloy turned around, "Marad, I..."

"It's fine," Marad said.

Aloy nodded and then joined Avad.

They quickly made their way to the arena. Aloy could see two guards patrolling the edge, she drew her bow and shot an arrow just past the both of them. As predicted they spotted Aloy and Avad immediately and Aloy could see one of them run off to set off the alarm.

"Time to go," Aloy said, grabbing Avad's hand, they ran off together.

They didn't slow down until they reached the place they had buried their bags. The sun was rising, and Aloy felt exposed in the open and in the light. Avad and Aloy both agreed they needed to rest before they decided what to do next. The Hunter's lodge was their next clue, but Aloy wasn't sure if it was safe to bring Avad back into the city. If there were enough people there who the Shadow Carja had turned, the city would be one large trap.

They decided to set up a make shift camp just inside a small cave close to where they picked up their bags. Aloy was sitting against the wall, her knees drawn up to her face, arms wrapped around her legs. She kept thinking about heading back into the city and wondering whether that would be risking Avad's life unnecessarily. She thought back to how she had felt when Avad had disappeared during the fighting. Or back when she found the palace empty and how she had feared the worst. How she had felt when she believed him dead.

Avad walked over to Aloy and sat down next to her. "I assume we're headed for the Hunter's Lodge next?"

"Hmm," Aloy said, distracted by her own thoughts.

"That's all?" Avad asked.

Aloy looked at him quizically.

"I was expecting you to tell me not to come."

"I'm glad you're here," Aloy said before thinking.

Avad smiled.

"I'm not sure where you'd be safe, I mean," Aloy quickly added, hiding her face behind her knees. "At least here I could..." She was lost in thought again.

"I'll take that reason," Avad said.

"Hmm," Aloy said again, clearly not really paying attention.

"Aloy, is something wrong?" Avad asked.

Aloy shook her head.

"I only ask because you... well, seem distracted."

Aloy took a deep breath and shifted her weight. "I'm just still thinking about what happened in the ruins."

"With Marad?"

"No, I mean, yes," she shook her head and got up to her feet. "I'm just going to go out and find us some food," she said, trying to avoid the subject.

Avad got up as well. "Aloy," he said, catching her arm. He didn't speak, but his eyes searched her face as if hoping he could find the answer there.

Aloy shook her head, "It's nothing. It's..." She looked at Avad's face, his brown eyes looking back at her. For a moment she imagined how she would feel if Avad did die during their quest. He almost did after all. What would she regret... "It just... scared me, before, seeing you ambushed by all those men."

Avad seemed surprised at her sincerity. "You were worried?"

Aloy looked at Avad, his hand was still on her arm. "I think I just... after what happened in Meridian..."

"In Meridian?" Avad asked. "When they tried to kidnap me?"

Aloy took a deep breath. "When I realised they had reached you I thought... I thought I was too late," Aloy said, her voice almost inaudible.

Avad moved a little closer, his hand moving down her am to reach her hand. "You thought they had killed me?" he gave her hand a little squeeze.

"Not just that," Aloy said, her mouth dry. "I thought it was too late to..." her voice trailed off as she felt her courage leave her.

Avad seemed confused at first, but a small smile appeared on his face as the full meaning of her words dawned on him. Avad's hand lifted to her face, cupping her cheek.

Aloy felt her heart flutter. She leaned into his touch.

"Aloy," Avad said softly, as he leaned in a little closer.

Aloy met his eyes. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Avad was waiting for her to close the distance between them... but she couldn't.

"I... I have to go out. We need food." Aloy took a few steps back and Avad looked at her. She could see he wanted to speak, but didn't wait for him to do so.

"I..." Aloy didn't know what to say, she wanted to say she was sorry, but instead she quickly turned around and left the cave in a rush, wondering whether she had made the wrong choice in leaving.


	5. Chapter 5

Aloy rushed outside, the night air cooling her flushed skin. Her heart slowed down and her nerves finally calmed, but still, part of her regretted walking away. It was tempting to forget who they were, what their roles in the world were, out here, where it was just the two of them, but Aloy couldn't. She had seen the way Meridian had changed, how _Avad_ had changed it for the better and she wanted to protect that. And her presence at his side would only undermine his position.

But was that really the reason why she had rushed out of that cave? Rather than stay and see what could happen?

"Aloy?"

Aloy jumped at the sound of Avad's voice.

"I'm sorry for startling you," Avad said with a faint smile. "I did not think I could surprise the machine hunter." Avad slowly approached Aloy, his smile vanishing.

"I... I apologize if I made you uncomfortable,"Avad said, clearly no longer talking about startling her.

Avad started to come a little closer, but then abruptly stopped. "I should not have..." Avad's voice trailed off.

"It's fine," Aloy said, "You have nothing to apologize for, I..." Aloy fell quiet as well. "We should really get some food and then rest before moving on." Aloy suddenly said. "We have to get back you back on your throne after all."

Avad narrowed his eyes. "My throne?"

"Yes."

Avad paused. "Is that why you..." Avad didn't finish the question, but Aloy understood nonetheless.

"The title of Sun-King, it's more than just a position of leadership isn't it? You're more than just a king to your people," Aloy said.

"I'm changing that," Avad protested.

"Yes, and that's you can't risk losing any of your people's support."

Avad frowned. "You think _you_ would jeopardizes my people's loyalty?"

Aloy didn't speak.

"The people of Meridian have admiration for you as well," Avad said. "Even those who have… unfavourable opinions of the Nora realise what you did for the city." Avad stressed, stepping forward and almost reaching for her hand. "I promise you, Meridian still remembers how you fought for us."

Aloy smiled at that, despite herself. "I…," she started, meeting Avad's eyes. "I really should hunt for some food," she said, abruptly turning around.

"Of course," Avad said, clearly a little confused.

Aloy ran off into the dark night, as she heard Avad say, "I'll keep the fire going until you get back."

Aloy wasn't very far from the camp; the fire was still visible but she could not see Avad from here. The only light close to her was the light from her focus every time she equipped it to see if there was any wildlife nearby. Finally her focus showed a small creature closeby her location. It was one of the newer animals she'd only seen in recent years, since restoring Gaia. The animal wasn't much larger than a small rat, but it was faster than a longleg. Still, helped by the focus Aloy caught the animal in one shot. She collected the catch and headed back to camp.

"That was quick," Avad said as Aloy reached the camp.

"Hunger is a great motivator," Aloy said as she held up her catch.

"You rest, I'll clean and prepare it" Avad said as he held out his hand. "Seems only fair as you did all the work catching it."

"That's all right," Aloy said as she sat down and took out her small hunting knife.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure you're not used to having to clean your own food," Aloy said. She regretted the remark when she saw the look on Avad's face, she realised he had taken it as a criticism, which she had not intended it as.

Avad and Aloy finished their meal in silence; both of them too famished to interrupt precious eating time with talking. After the meal was done they both got up, ready to retreat for the night.

"I can tell you were raised by one of the Nora," Avad said, "I've never met a hunter who could so quickly find their prey."

Aloy laughed a little. Avad looked slightly puzzled. "Can I tell you a secret?"Aaloy said after a short pause.

Avad smiled, "I'm intrigued already."

"It's the focus," Aloy said.

"The focus?" Avad came a little closer so he could take a better look at the small device.

Aloy equipped it briefly, just so Avad could see it light up.

"It lets me see animals from a greater distance, no matter how well hidden, and it let's me track them."

"Considering how it has helped us before, that makes sense," Avad said.

"When I equip it, it shows me all living things in my radius – among other things – and it let's me scan them."

"Scan them?"

"Yes, it tells me more about them."

"You could scan me?" Avad ased.

Aloy laughed. "Sure."

"Would you?" Avad asked.

Aloy was a little surprised by the request. The few people she'd explained the focus to had always specifically asked her _not_ to use it on them.

"Well?" Avad asked.

"If you'd like."

"Please, I'm curious.."

Aloy equipped the focus and directed it at Avad.

"It's not very detailed," Aloy said as the focus scanned Avad. "It only shows some basic information, like what type of animal or machine I'm looking at, what its weaknesses are."

Avad reached out and touched the lit up focus. "What does it say about me?" he asked, his eyes meeting Aloy's.

"It just says that you're human."

Avad smiled.

"What?"

"Just human?" he asked wryly.

The focus was still scanning Avad and the familiar blue haze covered his face. Aloy switched it off. Avad was still looking at her, waiting for a response. His hair messy, his face dirty; he looked unrecognisable from the man she'd first met in the palace all those years ago.

 _Except for his eyes_., Aloy thought to herself.

Apparently losing his patience, Avad gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head before turning to sit back down at the fire. Aloy caught his arm, "Avad," she pleaded. Avad turned back to face her, his eyes searching her face, waiting again.

"Avad, I…" Aloy started, her voice barely a whisper before fading. Aloy lowered her eyes as she lost her nerve. The air around her was heavy with the scent of ochrebloom, Avad's scent. Her heart started racing as she forced herself to meet Avad's eyes again; her eyes darting from his eyes to his lips.

Avad slowly lifted his hand, his fingers brushing against Aloy's cheek as he gently pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, before cupping her face and gently pulling her in closer. Their eyes meeting briefly before he kissed her. Aloy's whole body froze; her heart was still racing. For one fleeting moment she felt free to just be lost there in the desert. For one fleeting moment, before Avad pulled away.

Avad studied Aloy's face, his brow furrowed, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have… are you-"

Aloy did not let him finish the question, she pulled him back in and kissed him. Avad let out a small surprised sound. Aloy ran her finger tips along his jaw as she deepened the kiss. Avad locked his arms around her waist, and pulled her body against his. A warmth rushed over Aloy as she was locked in Avad's embrace. She buried her hand in his hair, pulling him even closer; Avad let out a low moan. Aloy was barely aware she joined in; she was intoxicated by his delicious scent, the sweet taste of his mouth, the sheer pleasure of the moment.

Avad suddenly pulled away, "Did you hear that?"

Aloy felt confused and for a moment feared he'd made it up. But then she heard it as well, the soft snapping of branches, the crunch of old leaves beneath someone's feet; someone was approaching their small camp.

Aloy equipped her focus. Almost immediately she spotted the person approaching the camp. Aloy pulled Avad with her to hide in the cave. But before they'd even reached the opening, a familiar voice called out.

"Aloy!"

Aloy turned around to see Talanah, her Hawk.

"Aloy! I fou–," Talanah stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted Avad. Despite Avad being dressed as a civilian it was clear Talanah recognised him immediately.

"Talanah?" Aloy asked. Talanah didn't respond. "Talanah, what are you doing here?" Aloy asked but Talanah didn't respond. This was the first time Aloy had seen her truly rattled. Even when they faced Redmaw together Talanah had been steadfast.

"You're the Sunhawk, are you not?" Avad tried. Talanah nodded slightly and slowly started to unfreeze. "It's an honour to meet you Sun-King thank you for opening the Lodge to everyone," Talanah said in a rush of words.

Avad glanced at Aloy, who approached talanah and put her hand on her shoulder. "Talanah," Aloy said to get her attention. "How did you find us?"

Talanah seemed to finally pull herself together. "I'm a hunter, Aloy, I am perfectly capable of tracking two people," she said, "especially if they're not bothering to hide their tracks. I knew you were in Sunfall so from there finding your tracks outside of the city wasn't very difficult, especially as I knew your destination." For a moment there Talanah sounded like her own confident self again, but then when she glanced over at Avad she flushed red again and all her previous composure disappeared.

Aloy recognised the look on Talanah's face; she had seen a similar look many times before on the faces of the Nora. After everything that happened, many had started to view Aloy as the true daughter of All-Mother. Even those who resented her, or still hated her for her old status as an outcast. There was always this look of apprehension, uncertainty... or worse, a strange kind of reverence she neither asked for nor desired.

"How did you know to come find us? Or where we were headed?" Aloy asked.

"Vanasha," Talanah said, "she told me to go find you."

"Vanasha came to you for help?" Aloy asked. It had been days since they had left Vanasha to stay and protect Avad's brother.

"No, I came to her," Talanah said. "After the Sun-King disappeared the royal guard took over control of the city. They started implementing new rules and I didn't trust it. They said they were acting on behalf of the Sun-King, but..." Talanah glanced at Avad, "they were turning things back to the way they were before. It didn't make sense."

"Like what?" Aloy asked.

"The royal guard forced me out of the Lodge," Talanah said. "They said they needed it. They took many public buildings." Talanah paused. "And they have been claiming you abducted the Sun-King."

"They're claiming Aloy was responsible for my disappearance?" Avad stepped forward. "Did they provide any proof?"

"I don't think they needed to," Talanah said after a small pause, "there are enough people in the city who still feel suspicion towards the other tribes, especially the Nora. Even if there is more trust than there was before, I don't think many Carja would need convincing that one of the Nora tribe would want to take revenge."

"For the Red Raids?" Aloy asked.

"Yes, they don't know you never experienced those."

"But why blame Aloy?" Avad asked.

"I think it was just convenient. People were aware of Aloy's presence in the city, and then she disappeared at the same time you did," Talanah said. "Many people were eager to believe the lie, probably thinking this was proof their Sun-King had been too trusting of his outsider friend."

Aloy was painfully aware both Talanah and Avad were trying to protect her, the soft voice Talanah used to tell her all this, the way Avad looked at her with worry in his eyes. Soon he'd probably tell her it didn't matter what people thought, or how quickly they'd accepted her as the villain. But Aloy did not want to hear it. After all, it did matter. It did matter if she ever planned on calling Meridian home.

"I think they've been planning on taking over the city for a while," Talanah said. "For many moons I've been noticing some odd things at the Lodge; meetings guarded by members, hunters inviting non-members in every week. I didn't think much of it at first and I didn't stop it because I know some hunters still feel uncomfortable with me holding the position of Sunhawk; I didn't want to cause any more tensions in the Lodge. But now I can't help but wonder if that didn't ultimately turn the Lodge into a place where this group could meet undisturbed."

"These meetings that were happening, did they include members of the Lodge?" Avad asked.

"Yes, among others," Talanah said.

"Were they Shadow Carja?" Aloy asked.

"Maybe, but after Aloy defeated Helis many members of the Shadow Carja changed allegiances, so it isn't always easy to tell who was or still is part of them," Talanah said.

"What made you look for Vanasha?" Aloy asked.

"After both of you disappeared," Talanah answered. "When they started spreading the rumours about you Aloy, I wanted to speak to you myself. I hoped she knew how to contact you."

"Is Vanasha still with my brother?" Avad interrupted..

Talanah turned her head to look at him. "Yes, she's hiding him and his mother outside the city."

Avad nodded. "Thank you."

Aloy had not been in the Lodge for years, but she trusted Talanah's observations. "I think we need to get to the Lodge," Aloy said. "There has to be something there that can point us to who is leading them, or what their plan is. The Shadow Carja can't just take over the city now Avad is gone, the people would not accept any replacement without legitimacy. They have to have a plan to get the people on their side."

Aloy turned and headed for the cave. "I'll gather our supplies and then we go."

Avad followed her into the cave. "Were you planning on asking me to stay here?" he asked.

Aloy started to pack their packs. She briefly glanced up at Avad. "No."

Avad knelt down besides her. "I hope that what the Sunhawk told you didn't upset you," Avad said, gently putting his hand on her arm. Aloy kept her focus on packing the bags. "Aloy," Avad reached out and clasped her hand. "Not everyone will believe the lies they are told."

Aloy took back her hand and continued packing. "I've found most people are very willing to believe what they're told."

"The Shadow Carja took advantage of the situation," Avad said, "the lie was convenient."

"Yes, and people believed them because I'm an outca-," Aloy stopped herself, "an outsider."

Avad moved a little closer. "Aloy," he said as he cupped her chin and turned her face to him. "Once this is over I'll make sure everyone in Meridian knows you-"

Aloy shook her head. "The lie isn't the problem," Aloy said.

"There are many people in Meridian who would never believe a lie like this about you," Avad said. "No one will after this is through." Avad leaned in but Aloy quickly pulled away from his touch. She got up and took the packs with her. She quickly made her way out of the cave and back to Talanah.

"Do you want to find some striders?" Talanah asked. Talanah was one of the few people who carried a weapon similar to Aloy's spear, one equipped to override machines. She also really loved riding them.

"I…" Aloy stopped when she spotted Avad leaving the cave. "Just a moment," Aloy said to talanah before running up to Avad.

Aloy put her hands on his arms to gently stop him.

"Aloy, I apologize if I–"

"It's fine," Aloy said, "I... I just think we shouldn't... think about… what happened before," Aloy said. "Not right now anyway," Aloy quickly added. Avad was about to respond but Aloy stopped him. "Avad, I have to ask you something. I know this isn't something you want to do, but I think we need to use machines to get to Meridian. Walking will cost us a lot of time, not only because of the time to walk there, but the time we need to rest before we can leave" she said. "I know how you feel about machines, even tamed ones, and if you really don't want to do this, maybe we can find another way, but I think this is our best option."

Avad understood what she was asking; he was visibly uneasy with the idea.

"If I thought we could get there quickly some other way I wouldn't consider this."

After some consideration Avad said,"I understand. And I agree."

Aloy squeezed his arms. "You're sure?"

Avad nodded and even managed a weak smile.

Aloy took his hands in hers. "Good! Me and Talanah will override two striders and then we can leave." Aloy turned to leave but hesitated, she looked back at Avad, "It'll be fine," she said.

Aloy and Talanah headed out looking for machines they could ride. It didn't take long before they found a small group of striders. In the years since resetting Gaia the machines had become more docile and most of them no longer attacked people on sight. So when the striders spotted Aloy and Talanag they barely reacted to them and instead just kept grazing. It wasn't long before both Aloy and Talanah had sneaked up to a strider and blue cables spread along the striders' necks.

"Do we need to catch a third one?" Talanah asked.

"No, Avad can ride with me," Aloy said.

Talanah bit her lip. "How are you so comfortable around him?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"He's the Sun-King," Talanah said as if asked to explain the most simple of concepts.

"I wouldn't have expected you to be so big on tradition," Aloy said.

"I'm not," Talanah said almost defensively. "I just... what if..." Talanah's voice trailed off.

Aloy was genuinely surprised by Talanah's reaction to Avad but perhaps she shouldn't be. Talanah had after all grown up in Meridian, a city that deeply and truly believed that Avad was the representation of their deity. They had so much reverence for the position of the Sun-King that for years the city had accepted the rule of a tyrant, simply because he had been 'chosen'.

"I don't believe his status as Sun-King should make you uncomfortable around him, he's just a man, who happens to be a ruler," Aloy said.

Talanah looked uncomfortable.

"If I had to believe the myths around his position I would also have to believe what the Nora believe about me," Aloy continued. "And I don't. No one should. Their belief, _that kind of belief_ , has let a lot of people get away with horrible things because that belief sanctioned their actions."

"You think I don't understand that?" Talanah asked, her voice tense.

Aloy chastised herself for not thinking of how Talanah had lost both her father and her brother to Sun-King Jiran's cruelty. "I'm sorry," Aloy said.  
Talanah mounted her strider. "the people who supported Avad when he took the throne from his father did so because they believed he was chosen. Belief like that can lead to good things as well."

"Apparently only by luck. If the people happen to blindly follow someone who wants to better the world," Aloy said, mounting her strider.

"Yes, but people also chose to turn against Sun-King Jiran, maybe it wasn't their belief in his divine status that stopped them from acting before, maybe they were too afraid to act. They didn't follow Avad because of belief, but because he inspired them to be courageous. People still belief in Avad's right to rule, but he has also gained their loyalty."

"You're right, he does command a lot of loyalty among the people," Aloy admitted, she had seen it too.

"That's probably why the Shadow Carja haven't tried to kill him yet. They have to find a way to make their claim to the throne legitimate. Avad taking the throne from his father proved that divine right is no longer the only thing needed to rule. They need the people to stand behind whoever they want on the throne. Avad's blessing would grant them that."

"You think people will just accept a new ruler if the ruler is blessed by Avad?" Aloy asked.

"Hmm… maybe not, but it would at least give them a start," Talanah said. "If they can get Avad to cooperate that is."

"That's why they went after his brother," Aloy said.

"I think so," Talanah said.

They both spurred on their striders and headed back to the camp. As they reached the camp, Avad was already busy putting out the campfire. When he heard them approached Avad looked up at the machines and froze. His eyes fixed on the two striders, arms tightly crossed, all the colour drained from his face.

Aloy dismounted her strider and walked up to Avad. She put her hand on his shoulder. "It'll be fine," she repeated her own words. "The journey will be much faster this way."

Avad's eyes were still fixed on the machines. "Don't worry, once they're tame they stay tame," Aloy said, avoiding the whole truth, hoping to put his mind at ease. But Avad still looked petrified. "Avad..." Aloy started to say but stopped when Talanah approached them. "We should leave now, we might still reach the city before dawn," Talanah said.

Aloy nodded and looked at Avad. He didn't respond but slowly started to move towards the striders. Talanah quickly mounted her strider. Aloy turned to Avad. "I will get on the machine first and then you just climb on behind me," she said. "Once you're on it and we've ridden for a little while you'll get used to it," Aloy said. "I was scared too the first time I climbed on one of these."

Aloy caught Talanah glancing over her shoulder to look at them. Aloy mounted the strider. "Avad," Aloy said softly and she held her hand out to him. After a brief hesitation Avad took her hand and let her pull him closer to the machine. With his other hand Avad reached out and touched the strider, taking a moment to take in the machine. Avad looked up at Aloy. "It'll be fine," she said barely audible. Avad let go of her hand to place both hands on the strider. He took a deep breath as he ran his hands over the thick blue cables. Finally he slowly climbed on the back of the strider.

"You can hold on to me," Aloy said once Avad was seated. She took his hands and put them on her waist. "Are you all right?" Aloy asked, making sure her voice was quiet enough to not be overheard by Talanah.

"I am," Avad said quietly.

Aloy spurred on the machine and slowly it started moving. Aloy could feel Avad tense up, but he didn't say anything, just pressing closer against her, locking his arms around her waist.

They caught up to Talanah who was confidently riding her own strider. Aloy slowly increased the pace of the strider and Talanah matched her speed. Avad was still tense, but already a little less tense than he'd been before getting on the strider, and it gave Aloy confidence that they'd make it through this journey. Aloy tried to focus on the road but couldn't clear her mind from her conversation with Talanah.


	6. Chapter 6

It was nearly dawn by the time Aloy, Avad and Talanah finally reached Meridian. Farmers were already walking out into their fields, but the city was still almost deserted, besides the few guards patrolling the streets. The lights were all lit though and the warm glow was welcoming in the cold night.

Aloy slowed her strider to a stop and Talanah stopped her strider next to her. "So how do we get to the upper city without drawing the guards attention?" Aloy asked.

Avad leaned forward a little to join the conversation. "There are maintenance shafts along the elevators," he said. "We should be able to climb up the ladders in those shafts and avoid a large portion of the city."

"At the very least, it will at least limit our time in the open," Aloy said. Despite the disguises they had brought, Aloy didn't want to run anymore risks than they had to.

"I agree, but..." Talanah paused, "but how do we know who is Shadow Carja?"

"I don't think we can know," Aloy said, "but we do know that they don't want their takeover of the city to seem hostile, that means they can't risk a big scene on the street where someone might see them attacking Avad."

"And if they want to attack either you or Aloy they will only do so if they can make the attack seem legitimate, in case anyone recognises either of you," Avad said.

Aloy understood that Avad meant that arresting or attacking either Talanah or herself - people with some standing in the city - would look suspicious enough that the Shadow Carja would want to avoid that suspicion, but she didn't think the people would mind her being arrested, not after the rumours the Shadow Carja had been spreading about Aloy, .

"Aloy," Avad said after a short silence. He leaned forward a little, whispering so only Aloy could hear him."I..." Acad said but fell quiet, his hands were still on her waist and she could feel his fingers twitching nervously. "I wanted to thank you. After what happened I never would have thought I could climb on a machine, not even after having seen you ride him. And I just want to thank you for making it easy."

Aloy turned to face him, and, for a moment, was caught off guard by how close he was to her right now. "Of course, I-," Aloy started to say but she was interrupted by a loud whinnying as Talanah chased her strider away. Aloy looked back at Avad; suddenly there was a strange weight to the silence between them. Silently Avad got off the strider. He held out his hand, Aloy took it and he helped her off the strider.

Aloy wrapped the shawl she had been using as a disguise around her head again, hiding her red hair. Aloy reached behind her head, trying to feel if any of her hair was sticking out. "Here, let me," Avad said as he moved behind her and helped Aloy cover the back of her head, taking care no strand was left visible.

"Thank you," Aloy said as she turned to face Avad. He was still wearing the shabby clothes meant to disguise his identity. He did look very different, dressed in a hole-ridden shirt and with his hair a tangled mess. Aloy reached out and gently brushed some imagined dirt off Avad's disguise.

Avad covered her hand with his own. "Aloy," he said, briefly glancing in Talanah's direction, maybe to make sure she wasn't paying attention to them. And she wasn't; Talanah was busy putting on her own disguise.

"If the Shadow Carja _do_ find a way to capture us, you have to get away," Avad said. "Even if that means you have to leave me and Talanah behind. They cannot risk executing the Sun-King, the only reason the people accepted my father's death was because _I_ was responsible for it, and they considered me to be the legitimate Sun-King. They will not accept the death of a Sun-King by the hands of anyone else. And they can't kill me in secret, because if I disappear the people will notice, but with you…," Avad paused, he squeezed her hand. "I just want you to make sure _you_ get out of the city. No matter what happens to me."

Aloy shook her head. "Avad, maybe they can't execute you, but that doesn't mean they can't do _anything else_ to you. They have a plan for you, they want to use you and I don't want to give them the chance," Aloy said.

Avad looked puzzled for a moment. Then a small smile appeared on his face. "Aloy," he said softly, "Itamen is save, Marad is save in his deception… so if you ensure your own safety, the Shadow Carja will have no way to manipulate me."

Aloy lowered her eyes, she tried to respond but the words didn't come.

Avad lifted his hand to her face, gently brushing his fingers against her cheek. Aloy met his eyes, covered his hand with her own, and gave him a shy smile. Avad leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. When he pulled back he almost looked surprised by his own actions. "I'm sorry."

"No, I-" Aloy started to say, but was interrupted by Talanah loudly cursing as she struggled to buckle the final belt on her disguise.

Avad and Aloy immediately broke apart. Aloy because she didn't want Talanah to realise there was something going on, and Avad because he realised it would make Aloy awkward to be spotted by Talanah.

Talanah quickly came up to Aloy and Avad. "Are you-" she stopped talking as she looked at Aloy, who looked caught in the act. Talanah furrowed her brow, looking at Aloy and then Avad and then Aloy again.

"Let's go," Aloy suddenly said as she picked up her bag and quickly moved away from Talanah's prying eyes.

There were already quite a few people in the lower city, but Aloy did not spot many guards. In fact there were fewer guards than there would normally be and it made her wonder whether the Shadow Carja had simply gotten rid of all of the guards who weren't allied to them. Of course, the number of guards didn't say anything about how many Shadow Carja were in the city in other functions, or dressed as civilians.

All three of them slowly made their way through the city. Talanah took the lead, as she was the least likely to be recognised, even as the Sunhawk, and if she was she wouldn't draw as much attention as either Avad or Aloy would. Talanah warned the others whenever she saw a guard, but none of the guards seemed to be paying much attention, and the precautions taken by Aloy, Avad and Talanah seemed almost superfluous.

When the elevators came into view, Aloy immediately spotted the maintenance shaft, built against the rock wall, a small door just visible behind some shrubs. Looking up to the city far above them, Aloy started worrying about the climb. For a moment she wondered whether they couldn't just use the elevator. But there was a guard posted at the elevator, and no matter how inattentive the guards had seemed so far, Aloy didn't think risking walking right up to one, and then again when exiting the elevator, was a smart move.

Aloy, Avad and Talanah hurried towards the small door, hastily piling into the small space behind it. The space was bathed in red light, caused by the sunlight filtering through the thin wooden panels hiding the maintenance shaft. The ladder was made of treated wood, after every eleventh rung was painted red. Aloy looked up, the ladder seemed to rise forever; the top wasn't visible from where Aloy was standing. The air was stuffy and the heat of the Sundom felt even more oppressive in the narrow space.

"I'll go first," Talanah said as she one hand on the ladder. Before starting the climb, Talanah looked back over her shoulder at Aloy and Avad, and flashed what Aloy was sure was meant as a confident, comforting smile, but failed on both fronts. After a brief hesitation Talanah started to climb.

"These elevators were built by my great grandfather," Avad said, "or... under his rule at least," his voice a little shaky.

"I'm sure he climb will be shorter than it seems," Aloy said to ease Avad's nerves.

Avad looked up at the seemingly endless ladder. "You're probably right," Avad replied, failing to sound convincing.

Avad started climbing and Aloy followed close behind.

As the head of the group, Talanah set the pace. At first they were climbing fast, the ground quickly moving away from them. But it wasn't long before all three of them slowed down. Despite spending most of her days running around, Aloy started to feel her muscles protest, but Aloy refused to even consider pausing. It was still a long way up and there was no place to rest, and even if there was, Aloy just wanted to get this climb behind them; despite being hidden by the wooden panels of the shaft, she felt they were horribly exposed.

As they passed the halfway mark, Avad started to markedly slow down until he finally stopped climbing. "Could we rest for a moment?" he asked, hooking his arms around the rung of the ladder. Talanah looked down at Aloy and they both nodded.

"We can't stay here too long," Aloy said to Avad, trying to make her voice sound gentle.

"I realise," Avad said, his voice strained. "Just a moment." His face was bright red and sweat was glistening on his forehead.

"We're almost there," Aloy lied.

"I will be ready to leave again in a little bit," Avad said, sounding slightly agitated.

"Take your time," Aloy said.

"So what do you think we'll find in the Lodge?" Talanah asked, probably trying to take everyone's mind off the long climb still ahead of them.

"Hopefully a signed confession," Aloy said. "But I'm not sure. More Shadow Carja? Will it even matter if we don't find someone of importance rather than just another outpost where they maybe just house and train men?"

"I'm ready to go again," Avad interrupted.

The last half of the climb took longer than the first, and there were several moments when it looked like Avad or even Talanah needed to stop, but in the end they kept climbing. And eventually the sounds of the upper city greeted them.

Talanah was the first off the ladder, signaling Aloy and Avad to wait while she looked for guards. Aloy felt a bit resentful of having to stay on the ladder for even a minute longer than necessary, but she didn't complain. Then, despite her own exhaustion Talanah reappeared at the top of the ladder, her hand stretched out to help Avad up on solid ground. Avad was visibly relieved to be off the ladder, but turned right around to help Aloy up.

For a moment all three of them stood there, stretching their limbs and catching their breath. "I'm going to have our craftsmen build smaller elevators inside the maintenance shaft,"Avad said, sltill panting. "No man should have to make that climb."

Aloy, Avad and Talanah quickly slipped into the crowd; the upper city was much busier than the Meridian village had been. Aloy nervously looked around the crowd, feeling her paranoia spike whenever someone so much as glanced at them. It was still a long way to the Lodge and it could only get busier as the day went on. Aloy looked at Avad and suddenly his disguise seemed horribly inadequate.

"Avad, you can't come to the Lodge with us," Aloy said. "We have to see what's going on there first. And more importantly, we can't risk any of the people there recognising you on sight."

Avad looked like he was about to protest but then kept quiet.

"Do you think many people could recognise Avad in his disguise?" Talanah asked.

Aloy looked at Avad who seemed to be considering what she'd said. He looked dishevelled, but would that be enough for people who had worked closely with him? After all they already knew many of his personal guard had defected, if they ran into one of them in the Lodge, would a disguise keep them from recognising a man they had seen on a daily basis?

"I think we can't risk it, if someone in the Lodge recognises him, rings the alarm and we're ambushed before we have a chance to escape… they can basically do whatever they want. If someone spots us out here in the open, they can't exactly attack Avad and risk being seen attacking the rightful ruler of the Sundom. Not if they don't want to cause a riot. But hidden away in the Lodge, which is now under Shadow Carja control, they can do what they want."

"I agree," Avad said, reluctantly.

"Where do you suggest we hide Avad?" Talanah asked.

"I don't know, is there somewhere safe in the city that you know? A house or… something?" Aloy asked.

"I think Avad, should hide somewhere more public," Talanah said. "Like you said, Avad is safer somewhere where the people are watching. The Shadow Carja can't attack him and risk being caught by the people . I suggest Avad hides in the Sun-Ring. It's a place of worship so I don't think the Shadow Carja will have many guards there, or harass civilians there. Just think about how quickly that would turn the people against them. Avad will be safe there, wearing his civilian clothes."

"No!" Aloy let slip. Her heart skipped a beat thinking about leaving Avad so exposed. "There are too many people there, what if someone recognises him?"

"As long as they're not Shadow Carja and I'm not somewhere secluded, it shouldn't matter," Avad said.

Aloy shook her head but didn't say anything else.

"So, we will head for the Sun-Ring first, and then me and Aloy will go scout out the Lodge, and after that decide what the plan will be," Talanah said.

All of them nodded in agreement and set out for the Sun-Ring. It wasn't long before they reached the Sun-Ring. Aloy had taken the lead; she looked around the Sun-Ring, a nervous feeling building in her stomach. It was busy, but as expected there were no guards, only priests and civilians.

"I will be safe here," Avad said to Aloy, recognising her worries about leaving him alone. "But," Avad glanced around him before taking Aloy's hand in his, "once you find out what's going on at the Lodge, come back here before you risk... everything." He gently squeezed her hand.

Aloy quickly pulled back her hand, worried Talanah would see. "Just make sure to keep your face hidden," Aloy said.

Avad softly smiled. "I will be safe here," he repeated, "don't worry about me."

Aloy checked whether Talanah was paying attention to them before turning back to Avad. "If someone does recognise you, get out of the city," Aloy said. "Don't wait for us, don't look for us, just get away."

Aloy started to turn to join Talanah, but Avad put his hand on her arm. "Wait, I… want you to take something with you," Avad said. He pulled out something that looked like a large amulet made from machine parts. Aloy recognised it, it looked almost identical to a part of Avad's ceremonial dress.

Avad took her right hand and placed the amulet on her palm, he gently closed her fingers around the amulet. "Keep this close to you," Avad said. "There is a tradition in the Sundom where the Sun-King's favourited champions wore an amulet given by the Sun-King. I wanted to stop the tradition, as it was tainted by my father's practices, but I know many people still remember the tradition. If you get caught, maybe this amulet can help you, if you find a guard still loyal to the Sundom," Avad said, his eyes still fixed on her closed hand as if that could ie the amulet more power than it had. "I know this isn't much and the chance of it working is small, but I… it's all I can offer."

Aloy turned over the amulet between her fingers. It was small, coppery and had red thread woven through it. She put it away. "Thank you," Aloy said. There was more that she wanted to say, but she couldn't find the words so instead she just gave a shy smile before abruptly turning around to join Talanah. Aloy realised Talanah was right, and Avad would be safer staying in the Sun-Ring than coming with them and facing whatever was happening at the Lodge, but that didn't ease her nerves as they left the Sun-Ring and left Avad alone.


	7. Chapter 7

Aloy and Talanah quickly made their way through the city, jumping into alleyways and behind marketstands any time they spotted the guards. Once the Lodge came into view, both women stopped.

"There are guards here," Talanah said, pointing at the front entrance, "that could be a good sign."

"Because why post guards if there's nothing to guard," Aloy said. "But we can't take out the guards; there are too many people here."

"We can go around the back and climb in via the balcony," Talanah said. "But we won't know if the balcony or the top floor is guarded until we reach it."

Aloy nodded and started moving around to the back of the building. On the ground level there were no guards at least. Looking up at the balcony, Aloy couldn't spot anyone there either. That gave Aloy hope that the place wasn't as heavily guarded as the front door suggested. Of course the Shadow Carja had little reason to expect anyone to try and enter the Lodge, especially from the back balcony, and judging by how few guards they had seen in Meridian village, the Shadow Carja didn't have enough guards on their side in the city to heavily guard every single building.

"So how do we get up there?" Talanah looked from the balcony to Aloy.

"I have an idea," Aloy said as she took out her ropecaster. "This weapon wasn't made for this; I can't promise it'll work," Aloy said as she aimed her weapon, "and it'll make a lot of noise."

"I guess that's one way of figuring out if this side of the top floor is guarded," Talanah said, shrugging.

Aloy shot off the ropecaster bolt and with a loud thunk it dug deep into the wooden railing of the balcony, leaving a rope dangling from it. Aloy now aimed at the ground and hooked the other end of the rope into the grass. Aloy put her weapon away and pulled hard on the rope, she pulled again, harder this time, then she let it carry her weight for a moment. The rope didn't budge.

"Seems sturdy enough," Aloy said and she hopped on the rope and started climbing.

"Just so you know, if you fall and break your neck, I won't be held responsible," Talanah said.

Aloy reached the balcony without the rope breaking or dislodging. "Likewise," Aloy said as she signalled for Talanah to follow her. Talanah was a much faster climber and Aloy helped her over the railing.

Aloy peeked inside, she wasn't surprised to see the Lodge's upper level was deserted, otherwise someone would have responded to their noisey climb.

Aloy and Talanah crept inside, quickly moving out of the view of the stairs. They hid behind one of the decorative screens. Aloy leaned a little out of cover to see what was going on downstairs. There were just a few people lounging around the room. It was difficult to tell whether there was something sinister going on or if these were just people relaxing.

"We need to get one of them alone," Aloy said.

Talanah peeked from behind the screen. "I wonder if they're all Shadow Carja or if some citizens have been let in as well?"

"I don't think they would have been," Aloy said, "I suspect this is a place where the Shadow Carja can openly be themselves, not having to hide their motivations or allegiances. Maybe they even hope to sway people's opinion using the Lodge's standing in Meridian."

"So _how_ do we get one of them alone?" Talanah asked.

"We wait until one of them comes up the stairs, then we drag them into one of the side rooms."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"I don't like plans that require me to wait passively," Talanah, said but she clearly settled in for a long wait anyway.

Outside the morning passed, and slowly more and more people entered the Lodge, the sounds of people talking growing louder and louder until it was a constant buzz. Aloy and Talanah were still behind the screen, both lying down on the sofas there, both trying to stay alert despite the boredom.

"We should go hunting together when this is over," Talanah said, "it's been years."

"Well it's hard to top a hunt like Redmaw," Aloy said.

Talanah laughed, "Yes and since you saved us all the machines have become quite docile, it's become a challenge to find a challenging machine to hunt. For the new sparrows as well."

"In that case, I apologize," Aloy said, snickering, "I really should have considered the effect of my actions more."

They both laughed then fell quiet again.

"I was serious," Talanah said after a short silence, "we should go hunting together again."

"Absolutely," Aloy said. She wanted to say more, but was distracted by the sound of footsteps.

Simultaneously Talanah and Aloy got to their feet. Aloy gestured for Talanah to follow her. Looking from behind the screen Aloy could see a scrawny looking young man climb the stairs. He was wearing light armour, not of Carja design, but beneath the armour Aloy could see a torn old shirt that had a familiar pattern. The young man was carrying a small sword on his belt. He was dragging his feet as he made his way from the top of the stairs to the other side of the room.

Aloy quietly followed him. If he'd cared to look behind him he would have spotted her. But why would he?

Aloy signalled for Talanah to be ready to open the door to one of the side rooms. Aloy quickened her step to catch up. Just as the man started to turn in response to her footsteps, Aloy leapt forward. Jumping on his back. Wrapping her legs around him. Covering his mouth with her hand, and firmly pressing her other arm against his throat.

Talanah opened the door to the side room and pushed the man (and with him Aloy) inside before shutting the door behind them. The push left the man off balance and he and Aloy both crashed to the floor. Aloy scrambled to her feet and before the man could think to call out for help, she had her spear pressed against his neck.

"Jiraman?" Talanah suddenly exclaimed.

The man's terrified eyes focused on Talanah. "Sun Hawk!" he squeaked.

"You're part of the Shadow Carja?" Talanah's voice filled with anger and Jiraman could see it. He scrabbled a little further away from her, but she grabbed his arm to stop him. "I... err..." the man squirmed in her grip.

"Jiraman is one of our newest sparrows," Talanah told Aloy as she let go of Jiraman's arm. "I've hunted with him," Talanah said, her voice quivering with anger or maybe even sadness. "Did they recruit you?" Talanah turned to Jiraman again. "Or were you always art of the Shadow Carja? Did you join the Hunter's Lodge to help them infiltrate it?"

The man looked at Aloy and the tip of the spear still at his throat. Aloy lowered her spear and Jiraman visibly relaxed.

" _Did they recruit you_?" Talanah asked, emphasizing every word as she tried to control her voice.

Jiraman shook his head. "Not exactly. I... or rather _my father_ , was already part of the Shadow Carja."

"And you joined him?" Talanah said.

"No," Jiraman said angrily. "He was killed a few years ago," he added, his voice softer now. "A year after Sun-King Avad offered amnesty to all Shadow Carja."

"He was killed because he was former Shadow Carja?" Aloy asked.

Jiraman shook his head. "Not exactly. He was killed while hunting snapjaws."

"He was a hunter too?" Talanah asked.

"Not a trained one, he just took any job offered to him, and taking hunting jobs the members of the Lodge turned down was one of the few jobs he could always get. The hunting jobs were usually those other hunters turned down because of the risks, or the low rewards. Someone hired him to kill a snapjaw near one a place of prayer. My father had never taken on a snapjaw before, and I remember him and my mother arguing about it..." Jiraman fell quiet.

"Why was he taking work fighting hostile machines without training?," Talanah asked. "Training with the Lodge is free and everyone who has a talent for it is accepted."

"It's free, but how could he spend time training while he needed to make money to support us? My mother worked as a washer but that wasn't enough to support the whole family. And the Lodge wasn't open to everyone back then. Even if it had been, I'm not sure my father would have been allowed in, a lot of places were, and are suspicious of anyone who's was Shadow Carja," Jiraman said.

"And rightfully so!" Talanah exclaimed as she gestured around the room. "The entire Lodge has been taken over by you and soon the city!"

"What do you expect when you drive people to desperation?" Jiraman said, anger seeping into his voice. "The Sun-King might have invited us back into the city, but the rest of the Carja only met us with hostility and suspicion."

"Your entire faction still supported the ideas of the old Sun-King, ideas that cost us all a lot," Talanah said.

"The only work anyone would let us do was low pay or dangerous. The only places that would let us rent were old, falling apart. Once your neighbours realised you or any one of your family had been part of the Shadow Carja sanctioned harassment would start. You talk about the Lodge being taken away from you, but this is the first time since joining I've been able to just sit in here without someone glaring at me or making some remark behind my back."

Talanah was clearly taken aback, and looked like she wanted to protest, but kept quiet.

Aloy wanted to say something to comfort her friend, but the truth was Jiraman's story had stirred old resentments in her. Jiraman's story sounded too similar to the stories of the Outcasts among the Nora. Those who were finally allowed back into the tribe faced similar issues as the ones Jiraman described. Aloy was the exception, but even she still got the nasty remarks and the suspicious eyes trained on her.

"How many are there of you in the Lodge?" Talanah asked. "Where are you leaders?"

Jiraman let out a small bitter laugh. "You think they tell me that?" All I know is that this is a sanctuary for us someplace where we can speak freely; they've asked us to not reveal anything until they tell us we're all safe."

"Until the Shadow Carja take over the city," Aloy said.

"That's all you know?" Talanah pressed.

"They plan to take over the leadership of the city," Jiraman said, "without spilling blood. Even Sun-King Avad couldn't manage that."

"No, they just tried to kidnap a boy and his mother, much better," Aloy said.

Jiraman seemed a little rattled by that.

"You joined them because you want them to take over the city?" Talanah asked.

"I joined them because I want to live in a city where I have as much freedom as anyone else does."

"No matter the cost? Avad was already changing things for the better!" Aloy said.

"Not for me," Jiraman said. "Who knows, the new leadership might be better for everyone."

"Unlikely," Aloy snapped back.

"I suspect supporters of the previous Sun-King thought much the same," Jiraman said.

"If you believe that the Shadow Carja's take-over will be any smoother than what happened when Avad took the throne, you're incredibly naïve."

"And if you condone the violence it took _then_ , what makes this time any different? Isn't it hypocritical to condemn us?"

"No. The costs were high, but not as high as doing nothing. Not as high as letting the mad King continue his reign. What happened to you and your family, what's happening to the other former Shadow Carja, is terrible, but we can change that without imposing an entirely new regime. Not to mention that the Shadow carja still hold to the old Sun-King's ideas, so life in this new city will never be as idealistic as you believe. If we bring this to Avad he will wok to make it better. Without all the blood this takeover will spill."

Jiraman didn't respond, but Aloy suspected that had more to do with him being tired of the discussion, rather than him agreeing with her.

"Who is leading this rebellion?" Talanah asked.

"I don't know, like I said!"

"Someone must have recruited you, tell us their name at least," Aloy said.

Jiraman hesitated but then answered. "Ilad"

"Ilad has been a Hawk for years, even before I joined," Talanah said, "I don't believe he's part of the Shadow Carja. Jiraman has to be lying."

"You think only the Shadow Carja want a new regime?" Jiraman scoffed.

"What do you mean?" Aloy asked.

"The Sun-King has made a lot of changes during the years that he's ruled. Of course there are going to be people who want the old way of doing things back."

"All Avad has done is to improve the lives of his people," Aloy said defensively.

"That's a matter of perspective," Jiraman said. "Some people's lives got worse."

"During Sun-King Jiran's rule nobles did have more power I suppose," Talanah said. "And many of them made a lot of money off the red Raids. Avad changed all that."

"Your Hawk told you that's why he joined?" Aloy asked Jiraman.

"He was from a noble family, but I don't think that was his motivation, or well… not his only motivation," Jiraman said. He briefly glanced at Talanah and for a second his nervous energy returned. "He thought... well he didn't like the way the Lodge was changing, he thought it brought down the standing of the Lodge."

"You mean opening the Lodge to everyone?" Talanah asked. "It's not an uncommon sentiment unfortunately."

Clearly this wasn't the first time Talanah had heard the complaint, and Aloy still remembered the issues around her own initiation into the Lodge.

"Do you know where Ilad lives?" Aloy asked Talanah.

"Yes, you think he might know who's in charge?"

"If he's recruiting people he's at least closer to the top than Jiraman is. He might even know where to _find_ the leaders."

Talanah nodded. "What do we do with Jiraman?"

"There's a waterway close by," Aloy said, "I suggest we tie him up there for now and come back for him later or have Vanasha or Marad get him."

"I'm not letting you tie me up and leave me there!" Jiraman said. "What if you forget about me and I starve down there?"

"What if we make it easy on ourselves and deal with you here?" Talanah asked, mocking Jiraman's tone.

Jiraman shut up and let them get him to his feet.

"You really want things back to the way they were?" Jiraman asked.

"I want things to change," Aloy said, "just not in the direction the Shadow Carja are taking it. And neither should you. Do you really think that if they take power your life will somehow be better? Even if they somehow get the majority of people on their side and that'll stop the prejudice against you, do you think they will not give themselves the riches and you the scraps? That they won't change the Lodge back to being only for the elite?

"Or do you think they will make you rich or even a noble by virtue of your family name? Was your father rich under the Shadow Carja? Was he a noble man? Or was he just a soldier who got paid so little his family ended up in poverty? A man who couldn't afford a house for his family? And where were the Shadow Carja when your father died? They clearly still had enough men and financial resources to orchestrate this coup, so why did they not help you and your mother, after your father serving them for years?

"Don't count on the Shadow Carja helping you now if they didn't before. The only thing that will change for you if they succeed, is you'll be off a little worse with a new king to blame and no hope for change for the better," Aloy shook her head and, not waiting to see if a response was forthcoming, she grabbed Jiraman by the arm and dragged him to the balcony..

Talanah went down the rope first, Jiraman needed some coaxing before going second. As soon as he reached the ground, Talanah's hand was on his arm. Aloy went last. She looked around the Lodge, from here she could just see the people near the front door. She wondered whether one of them might be part of the leadership, and whether she was leaving without reaching her real target.

"I'll take Jiraman," Talanah said as Aloy slid down the rope. "You head back to Avad, I'll join you there." Aloy nodded, eager to not leave Avad on his own in the city any longer than she had to.

Talanah held on tight to Jiraman as she pushed him along with her. Aloy watch them disappear behind some rocks at the very edge of the city before she turned around and left the Lodge behind her.

As Aloy made her way back to the Sun-Ring, she couldn't stop thinking about what Jiraman had said. Did Avad know how the former Shadow Carja were treated in his city? If he did, why had he not tried to change it? Aloy remembered what Avad had once told her, that there were many things he wanted to change about Meridian, but that it would all take a very long time. For people like Jiraman's father, it had taken too long.

"Aloy!"

Aloy turned around to spot Talanah running up to her. When she reached Aloy, Talanah put her hand on her shoulder. "After we pick up the Sun-King we're headed for Ilad's house, right?"

Aloy nodded.

"Do you think Ilad will have information for us?"

"Yes. Even if it's only another name."

"And eventually we'll find the right name," Talanah said.

Aloy was about to respond, but froze when she saw the Sun-Ring's entrance. It was much more busy than it had been. The place was absolutely crowded. Apparently there was some kind of event planned for the day, why else would there be this many people? But that was not the worst of it, Aloy realised as she scanned the space for Avad's face. No. _There were guards there now_. Some were at the edge of the square, but others were moving among the crowd. Those guards were randomly picking people, seemingly questioning them. Whether this was because of the event or if it was just the way the city worked now didn't matter.

Aloy frantically looked for Avad's face in the crowd. "Aloy—" Talanah started to say, but Aloy finally spotted Avad, and started towards him.

Avad spotted Aloy as well and their eyes met. He started making his way towards her. Unfortunately that seemed to draw the attention of one of the guards who signalled two others and the three guards started closing in on Avad. Aloy slowed her pace but didn't stop; she didn't want to add suspicion, but wanted to be close enough to do something if the guards tried anything.

The guards were very close to Avad now. Aloy's heart was pounding in her chest. She quickened her pace just a little, ready to rush forward if the guards reached Avad. _What would they do to Avad?_ Take him? And then what? And how could she stop them from taking Avad in this crowd, outnumbered?

Just as the guards reached Avad, Talanah caught up to Aloy. Talanah grabbed Aloy's arm and held on a little too tightly, probably realising what Aloy was planning.. The guards were questioning Avad it seemed. For a moment Aloy thought that maybe they'd just move on; that they hadn't recognised Avad. But then Aloy say a change on the faces of the guards. One of the guards seemed agitated, as he started arguing with the other two. The agitated guard put his hand on Avad's arm and started to pull him along.

Aloy broke free from Talanah's grip and rushed forward.

The other guards now grabbed Avad as well and all three of them began pulling him to the exit. Aloy rushed forward, pushing people out of the way, her spear ready in her hand.

Avad struggled against the guards but they only seemed to get more aggressive as they pushed and pulled him along with them.

Aloy pushed and shoved her way through the crowd. But she still wasn't closing in on Avad and the three guards, as they made their way through the crowd faster. Avad's eyes met hers and there was a determined look on his face. Avad pulled one of his arms free and used it to push the other guard off him. The third guard was about to lunge forward to grab him again, but Avad did something unexpected. Avad ducked to avoid the guards meaty hands, and then Avad threw off the cloak that hid his face.

"People of the Sundom," Avad announced his presence.

His voice was loud enough to draw the attention of everyone directly around him. While most of the common people might not recognise Avad's face, it was clear they knew his voice by heart. People whispered to each other, pointing at Avad, and soon Avad commanded the entire crowd's attention. As the people in the square turned to look at him, the guards were visibly shaken. All three of them took a step back and looked at each other, unsure of what to do now.

The crowd started closing in on Avad, all trying to get closer to the Sun-King. The crowd started getting louder, some calling out to Avad, others yelling at people in their way.

The initial relief Aloy had felt was now replaced by a new fear. She had no idea what the crowd could do, but their nervous energy, their eagerness, their demanding cheers were terrifying in a different but no less threatening way than the guards' aggression had been.

Aloy started for Avad again, but the crowd wasn't letting her through; no one wanted to lose their place close to the Sun-King.

Aloy looked behind her for Talanah, but she seemed to have been absorbed by the crowd.

"Avad!" Aloy called out in desperation, but she was far from the only one calling his name. "Avad!" she yelled again, helplessly watching as those people closest to him started reaching out for him.

Avad seemed calm and serene, but Aloy knew it was just a facade. He was just good at playing his role as Sun-King.

"Avad!" Aloy yelled again, forcefully shoving people out of the way to get to Avad.

Suddenly a loud bell rang across the open space of the Sun-Ring. There was mild confusion among the crowd, but not much else. Another bell. And another. The last one was enough to make the crowd stop their push towards Avad; all their faces turned to the small podium where the sound was coming from. A priest was standing on the podium. He rang the bell once more. It was enough to make the crowd fall quiet.

Aloy took advantage while the crowd was momentarily mesmerized, and pushed forward. "Avad!" Aloy yelled again, this time the crowd was quiet enough that Avad could hear her voice. He reached out his hand to her, the people between them parting to let her through when they saw the Sun-King reach for her. Aloy rushed forward and without thinking threw her arms around Avad's neck, hugging him tight as relief washed over her.

"Aloy," Avad said, his voice soft as he rubbed her back.

Aloy slowly let go of Avad, but he took her hands in his. "I'm sorry, I couldn't think of what else to do," he said, almost apologetically.

"It worked," Aloy said, even though she was perfectly aware that they were not safe yet. She looked around them. Now aware of the crowd again, Aloy pulled her hands back. "Aloy, I—" Avad started to say before being interrupted.

"Today we are blessed by a visit by our Sun-King," the priest's voice bellowed across the open space. "Let him through," he said to the crowd.

The crowd took a moment to understand what the priest meant, but then they started to part and a path formed from Avad to the podium. Avad straightened his back and slowly made his way to the podium, but not before looking behind him to make sure Aloy was following him, and taking her hand again.

"Aloy!" Talanah's voice came as she caught up to Aloy and Avad.

"Talanah!" Aloy said relieved and she took Talanah's hand to pull her along with them.

"What are we doing?" Talanah asked.

"Playing the crowd?" Aloy whispered just as Avad took the stage, pulling aloy and Talanah with him.

Avad addressed the crowd with the usual cliches, but Aloy was too focused on the crowd's reaction to really listen to what he was saying; she was looking at their faces, the way they seemed to be hanging on his every word, cheering after every statement, seemingly in ecstacy just to be this close to him. It was clear that no matter how Avad might have tried to change the way he and any past and future rulers of Meridian were viewed, these people still saw him as more than just their king. And Aloy wasn't sure if Avad could ever change that, no matter how he might try.

"I have been absent these past days, and I would not have been able to return to the city if it was not for Aloy," Avad said. Aloy was looked away from the crowd at the mention of her name, she looked up at Avad who now was looking straight at her, a soft smile on his face. "Aloy is a woman I deeply admire," he said before returning his gaze to the crowd. "Someone who is a friend to Meridian," Avad gestured to Aloy and suddenly all eyes locked on her.

Avad took a step back to give Aloy centre stage. She looked at Talanah as if hoping her friend could hide her from the crowd's attention. The crowd was buzzing but Aloy couldn't tell if their attention was a positive or not. Aloy understood what Avad was doing; he was clearing her name while he had the crowd's attention. That way no matter what happened next it would be difficult for the Shadow Carja to blame it on Aloy.

Aloy nervously stood on the stage, fretting with the hem of her shirt. Avad gave her a sweet comforting smile. He leaned in for a moment, "it'll be fine," he whispered soft enough for it to be private.

Avad then addressed the crowd again. "Aloy has once again poven her loyalty to the Sundom and I hope you will all join me in showing her our gratitude," Avad said.

The crowd cheered, though Aloy still wasn't convinced they had even listened to what Avad had said. Even the little relief she had felt when the crowd had forced the guards to back off was gone. Sure, her Talanah and Avad might be safe while they had the crowd's eyes on them, but they still needed to escape the Sun-Ring and get to the house of Ilad to find out what he knew. At the edge of the crowd Aloy could see the guards staring at them. Some of them were already making their way through the crowd; though hindered by the crowd's reluctance to let them through.

Avad closed his address to the crowd and the priest approached him. "We can lead you back to the palace through the back gate to avoid the crowd," the priest said as he put his hand on Avad's shoulder to lead him off the stage. Avad looked at Aloy and without words they agreed on the plan. Avad reached out and took Aloy's hand again to lead her with him. The priest was visibly disturbed by the gesture but if Avad noticed it, he ignored it.

Avad leaned in, "Are you all right?"

"We have to get away from this crowd and the guards," Aloy said.

"We will," Avad said and he squeezed her hand.

Aloy looked behind them to make sure Talanah was following them. She looked even more miserable about the whole situation than Aloy did.

The priest led the three of them to a wooden door that he said led to a stairway. Behind them the crowd was still calling out for Avad, but they kept their distance this time.

As he priest was unlocking the door, Aloy worried about how they'd get away from him without explaining why Avad wasn't heading for the palace. Or dressed as a commoner.

"Thank you for helping," Avad said to the priest as they made their way down the long staircase.

The priest didn't respond.

Avad looked at Aloy and they both felt something was wrong.

The priest, who was still walking out in front of them, quickened his pace.

"What are you doing?" Talanah asked.

The priest didn't respond.

"Aloy," Talanah whispered.

Aloy gently pulled Avad closer to her.

"Something's wrong," Avad half stated, half asked.

Aloy glanced over at the priest then back at Avad and nodded.

"We can't go back," Talanah said. "That crowd might not want Avad dead but we can't get through that crowd without them tagging along."

Aloy held on tight to Avad's hands she helplessly watched the priest open the door at the base of the stairs.

Sunlight fell into the darkened stairwell. And then... a shadow.

A burly man stepped into view. His clothes were nondescript, but half his face was covered by red marks. The man looked at Avad then turned to someone just out of view. He said something inaudible. Then the priest moved past the open doorway, not even bothering to look at the three people he'd trapped.

The marked man gestured to people out of sight, and soon four royal guardsmen entered the stairwell.

Aloy quickly moved between Avad and the men, holding her spear in front of her.

The men hesitated. Maybe because of the electric crackle coming off the spear. Maybe because they recognised her. But they soon got past their fear and advanced on the trio.

Aloy quickly drew her rattler and fired ten metal bolts in quick succession. The bolts hit two men, both yelped in pain. The two men stumbled out of the stairwell, covered in their own blood. Screams rose up as people outside spotted the two bloodied men.

The other two men leaped forward, one of them knocked the rattler right out of Aloy's hands. The man then lunged for her, but Aloy dived out of his reach, rolling back to her feet and hitting him full force with the spear. She quickly hit him again, causing the man's body to freeze, just long enough for Aloy to finish him.

The other man was fighting with Talanah, who deflected his blows with a small blade. The stairwell was too small and crowded for the man to use his halberd, so he swung at Talanah with his own blade. Just as he lifted the sword above his head to deliver another blow, Aloy leaped forward and cut him down.

"We have to get out of here," Aloy shouted.

They rushed for the exit, but not before six more men rushed into the stairwell. Aloy immediately tried to shield Avad, pushing him behind her, but before she could even draw her spear, two of the men had rushed her, grabbing her arms. Aloy struggled, but could not get free.

"Let go!" Avad yelled as he drew his sword and lunged for one of the men holding Aloy. The man shielded his face with his arm, his golden vambrace taking the blow. Avad immediately slashed at him again, and the man let go of Aloy to leap backwards. The man drew his own sword, lunging for Avad. But Aloy kicked the man in the shins and he collapsed to his knees. Avad raised his blade to cut the man down, but hesitated, prompting Talanah to leap forward and do it for him.

The other four men flooded into the cace, one helping the man still holding on to Aloy's arm, the other three pushing past them, going for Avad and Talanah.

"Talanah, don't let them take Avad!" Aloy yelled in desperation as she struggled to free herself.

Avad kicked the man headed for him, the man stumbled and fell down the stairs. Avad evaded the other two men and swung his sword at the men holding Aloy. The men dashed backwards, dragging Aloy with them and off her feet.

"Let her go!" Avad lashed out with his sword again, barely missing the men.

The men dragged Aloy down the stairs as the two other men closed in on Avad. The man he had kicked down the stairs rushed past Aloy. He drew his sword and attacked Talanah.

As Aloy was dragged into the light, she could see Talanah trying to maneuver Avad behind her, but he wouldn't let her. He slashed and lunged at the men surrounding him.

Aloy struggled against the grip of the men dragging her away from the door, the stairwell and Avad and Talanah. Aloy screamed and yelled at the men, but the people watching did nothing. After all, even if they'd heard Avad speak, would they go against the royal guard?

Aloy strained to see what was happening inside the stairwell. She saw how Avad slammed his shoulder into one of the men, knocking him to the ground. He kicked him in the stomach before lifting his sword and... then he hesitated. His sword left hanging in the air. The man already scrambling back onto his feet.

"Watch out!" Aloy screamed, but it was too late and the man kicked Avad's legs out from under him, knocking him to the ground.

The men dragging Aloy hastened their pace suddenly.

"Avad!" Aloy yelled as she watched him struggle with the guard. Talanah busy fighting off the others, not able to help.

"Avad!" Aloy screamed again. As the guards dragged her away, she saw the door slam shut.


	8. Chapter 8

" _Avad_!" He could hear Aloy calling out for him, in the distance. Avad slammed his shoulder into the guard standing between him and Aloy. The man was knocked to the ground; Avad quickly reached for his sword to end him. But couldn't. Even with Aloy's plea still ringing in his ears. He couldn't. The man looked up at Avad, the fall had knocked his helmet off, and messy blond hair half covered his terrified gray eyes.

Avad hesitated too long, and the guard took the opportunity to kick Avad's legs out from under him. Avad crashed to the ground, losing the grip on his sword. The man immediately got to his feet and jumped on Avad. He punched Avad square in the jaw and for a moment the world went black.

When Avad recovered and turned to reach for his sword, the man's hands were quicker. The guard raised it above his head but Avad quickly hit him in the sternum, knocking the air out of his lungs. The man was gasping for air. Avad saw his chance. He grabbed for the sword, but the man held on tight.

"Hey!" Talanah yelled and the guard instinctively looked up. Talanah rushed the man, slamming into him at full speed, slamming him against the wall.

The guard scrambled to his feet, but Avad was quicker. He kicked the man square in the ribs.

"Argh!" The guard was knocked to the ground again as Talanah got back on her feet. She lunged for Avad's sword and, without hesitation, cut down the guard.

Avad was too distracted to be relieved at their victory. He rushed for the door. "Aloy!" Avad yelled as he burst through the door. Half a dozen faces turned to look at him. None of them recognized him - even with his hood down - they just responded to the noise. None of them were Aloy. She was gone.

"Did you see what happened to her?" Talanah asked as she caught up to him..

"The royal guard dragged her away," Avad said, still scanning the crowd in vain.

"Where do they take prisoners?"

Avad was sill focused on the crowd.

"Avad," Talanah forced his attention. "Where do they take the prisoners."

Avad frowned and pursed his lips, "there isn't just one place." He shook his head. "However, the most important prisoners are housed beneath the Sun Ring," Avad said. "Still, we have no way of knowing where the Shadow Carja keep them."

Talanah looked around the street, except for a few interested individuals, most people had directed their attention elsewhere. "We need to get out of public first," she said.

Avad and Talanah quickly made their way through the streets of Meridian, until they found one of the few still abandoned houses in the city. They left from the time of the rebellion. Many of the most powerful civilians of the city had not been on Avad's side. When Avad took over the city they had to banish them to keep the peace. Those had been the lucky ones, the unlucky ones had learned that both sides of the rebellion were willing to spill blood. Afterwards the properties they had owned had been seized. Avad and his advisors had repurposed many of the buildings, but there were still some left empty in the city.

Avad and Talanah climbed in through one of the windows of the empty building. Scrapping layers of dust from the window sill, as they slipped in. There were no light inside, but enough daylight seeped in to light the room.

"There are only a few places in Meridian you could hold a prisoner," Avad said. "But for all we know the Shadow Carja have built a prison of their own," Avad said, rambling now. "Maybe we can contact people to help us. Though I don't know how, or who to trust," Avad continued as he kept pacing, he was almost unaware of Talanah's presence as he desperately ran through the options in his head.

All his life Avad had been trained to appear calm and authoritative no matter how he felt, but now he couldn't stop himself from unraveling.

"I… I don't think they will hurt Aloy," Talanah said.

"Not yet," Avad said, "they will probably want a public display or-"

"No, I mean not at all," Talanah said.

Avad raised an eyebrow.

"Because they need leverage over you." Talanah whispered, as if discussing something she shouldn't.

Avad had been worried about the Shadow Carja leveraging his brother, he had not considered they could use Aloy for the same end, even as it was one of his greatest fears. Avad simply didn't think the Shadow Carja were aware of how much he cared for Aloy. She didn't know. He had never discussed his feelings with anyone either. But would they try to manipulate him if they believed her to be just his ally? Would they not have tried to use blameless Marad in that case? Did this mean they knew exactly how deep his feeling for her went?

"Avad?" Talanah was staring at him.

"We need to find Aloy," Avad said.

"Yes," Talanah said, she bit her lip. "But I think you should stay here."

Avad crossed his arms. "I might not be the Sunhawke, but I can help."

"It's a question of time before someone recognises you, even out of your formal clothing, and especially after your performance in the Sun Ring," Talanah said.

"You cannot fight them alone," Avad said.

"I won't have to," Talanah said. "You will tell me all the places you know prisoners can be kept, and I will go out there and check all of them. When I find Aloy, I'll come back here and we will go get her back, together."

Avad wanted to protest, but stopped himself. He took a long, slow breath and forced himself to fairly consider the proposal. Maybe instead of her plan, Avad could just reveal himself, maybe if he was public enough he could pressure the Shadow Carja to free Aloy, or risk exposure. Perhaps. _Before they imprison me in my own palace_ , Avad thought gloomily. There was no guarantee either way, but his plan was far more risky. Talanah's had the right idea.

"All right," Avad siad finally, "I will wait here."

Talanah nodded and seemed relieved at his compliance. She walked over to a desk in the corner of the room. It was covered in dust and cobwebs were spun between its legs, but she managed to find some writing supplies. "Write down all the locations I should look for her, even prisons not in use by you," Talanah said.

Avad quickly wrote out the list, it was a short one, there weren't many prisons in Meridian and only one no longer in use.

"I'll heat out now," Talanah said as she took the paper and started for the window. "Sun-" she stopped herself. " _Avad_ , don't go looking for her yourself, even if it takes hours for me to get back. If they get both of you… I'm not sure what they'll force you to do…"

Avad could see genuine concern on her face, and he felt it too, He wasn't sure what he would be willing to do, what he'd let happen to spare Aloy. "I won't," he promised.

Talanah climbed through the window and disappeared into the city. Avad tried to sit down, but felt too on edge to sit still. Instead he paced the room, trying to get the image of Aloy being dragged away out of his head.

Aloy leant back against the stone wall. She let her exhausted body slide down to the floor. All her muscles were sore from struggling, from trying to find a way through the bars. Small beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as she sat, back against the wall, her hearts still racing.

The last thing she'd seen before being dragged away to this cell, was Avad and Talanah overwhelmed by the other guards. _Did they escape? And if they had would they come after her? And what would happen then?_

If Talanah was right, and the Shadow Carja wanted to use her to pressure Avad into giving them the appearance of legitimacy, the worst thing that could happen was to have both Aloy and Avad be captured.

Aloy froze when she saw the young man who was guarding her approach the cell, he looked at her but quickly looked away when he realised she was looking at him. It had been a common pattern since they put her in here.

When the guard turned away again and disappeared from view, Aloy relaxed again. She stretched her sore arms, while looking around the cell for anything she had missed, anything that could help her escape. Until she was distracted by distant voices.

From her cell Aloy could not see anything but the stone wall that separated the cell walkway, and she couldn't figure out where the voices were coming from. Aloy also didn't recognise the voices and could only make out a few words. Nothing that could help her, but thankfully also nothing she feared to hear; there was no news about Avad or Talanah.

Avad had tried to exonerate her in his speech to the crowd in the Sun-Ring. But that wouldn't protect her now. If the Shadow Carja still wanted to turn the public against Aloy it would be very simple to do so.

Aloy stopped her examination of the cell when she spotted the young guard approaching the cell again, shy eyes checking on her. Aloy sat down with her back against the bars trying to find some privacy in the tiny cell.

As the day passed, the room grew darker and darker, making it harder on Avad to keep his mind off the situation. In the dark his mind seemed to exclusively focus on his worst fears.

Avad's eyes scanned the room trying to find something to distract himself. The room was barely lit by the light coming in from outside, but you could still tell this had been a luxurious home. It paled in comparison to the palace of course, even with Avad having erased some of the decadence of his father's design.

Avad wondered what it would be like to live here. Maybe not this precise house. But just here, in the city, rather than the palace. To go to work for a few hours each day, then come home and enjoy time together with the people you love. He wondered whether he could ever reduce the importance of his position enough, to where a life like that was possible.

At some point in the past his family must have been no more important than any other. At some point that changed. Avad didn't know when or how his ancestors had begun to be regarded as God-Kings, but it had to stop. His father had proven how dangerous this belief was.

During the past years Avad had worked to gradually dismantle the excesses of his predecessors. Giving up most of the estates to public use, getting rid of the tradition of bringing tributes to the Sun-Ring for the Sun-King in substitute for the Sun. Not everyone was pleased with the changes, many nobles regularly came to the palace to complain, many who'd greatly benefitted from the previous regime. But Avad never relented, he knew the generations that would come after them would consider this the new norm, and not complain about it. In the end it would only help Meridian be a better place.

It was deep into the night by the time Talanah returned. Avad had been nodding off despite his nerves, but was jarred awake by the noise of Talanah climbing through the window and tripping into the dark apartment.

Avad jumped to his feet. "Did you find her?"

Talanah bit her lip. "I think so," she said.

"Where is she?" Avad pressed.

"You said the palace has holding cells, right?" Talanah asked tentatively.

"Yes."

Talanah hesitated. "I think they're holding her there."

"At the palace? Why?" Avad eyed her with suspicion.  
"Let's just go get her back," Talanah said, avoiding the question.

" _Why_?" Avad pressed, his heart jumpin up in his throat.

"They're… I heard people talking… they're planning on taking Aloy to the Sun-Ring," Talanah said. She didn't say what would happen there, because both her and Avad were old enough to remember what the Sun-Ring used to be used for. Avad's mind immediately jumped to all the horrors he had witnessed in the Sun-Ring during his father's reign.

"The Shadow Carja won't do that," Avad said, his fists clenching. "They would be risking losing the people's support. Aloy is too beloved in this city and my father's traditions too hated."

Talanah nodded. "I agree, I don't think they believe they'd get away with it. It's just… a way to get you out in the open."

"Yes, I considered that as well," Avad said. "But I can't risk it."

"Of course, but we can't risk the Shadow Carja capturing both of you either."

"I am not staying behind," Avad warned.

"I wasn't going to-"

"Besides, I know a way into the palace that the Shadow Carja do not know of." Avad collected his pack and already headed for the window.

"Are you sure?" Talanah asked as she followed him.

"Me and Marad are the only ones who know where it is. All the other people who knew its location, are dead."

"All right," Talanah said. "Let's go."

"You're Aloy," a soft voice came from behind Aloy. It wasn't a question. Aloy shifted, trying to get more comfortable; the bars pressed against her back. She didn't respond to the voice.

"They said you abducted the Sun-King," the young guard said. "They… they want to bring you tot the Sun-Ring to..."

Aloy wondered whether the young guard was trying to taunt her with his information, but the way his voice fell away rather than explain to her the atrocities that would happen in the Sun-Ring, made her feel he wasn't pleased with the plan.

The guard remained silent for a while. "I… you helped me once," he said.

Aloy turned to look at him. The young guard was standing in front of the cell, his helmet covered most of his face, only showing a young face and two grey eyes looking back at her.

"Jorgriz ", he said and took off his helmet.

"I remember," Aloy said.

"It was years ago, I know you don't recognise me, but I always remembered," Jorgriz said.

"No, I remember," Aloy said, "but you're not Shadow Carja, you're Oseram."

Jorgriz smiled. "Yeah, but Beladga wanted to live in Meridian, so we left Free Heap."

"To become a royal guard?"

"That's where I ended up at least." Jorgriz came a little closer to the cell. "I want to help you," he said.

Avad and Talanah were just outside of Meridian village; the exit of the secret escape route was there, in a small cavern only accessed via a narrow entrance hidden behind a wall constructed of plants and rocks.

Avad and Talanah made their way through the cavern, their way lit by a small lantern Avad had grabbed from a marketstand. When he reached the exit he fumbled to open it, as he had opened it from this side before.

"You go first," Avad said to Talanah and he handed her the lantern. He closed the exit behind them before following her.

"Have you been here before?" Talanah asked.

"Yes."

"Have you… had to use this escape tunnel before?"

Avad hesitated. Flashes of a hurried escape, accompanied by only two loyal friends crossed his mind. "Only once." Talanah briefly glanced at him over her shoulder, but didn't speak. It was clear that Talanah was waiting for more information, but Avad wasn't sure how much more he was willing to tell her.

The tunnel went all the way underneath the village; every now and then you could very faintly make out some of the sounds from above. Eventually they reached the end of the tunnel, and a long narrow ladder located there. The ladder extended for a while until it led into another tunnel that led you deeper through the mountain, then up a ladder again, and another tunnel. The climb was less straining than the climb through the maintenance shaft had been.

"We're nearly there," Avad said to Talanah as they entered the final tunnel. "At the end of this tunnel there will be a hidden door that will lead outside, right outside the palace."

"How many hidden doors did you build in here?" Talanah asked. Avad was about to correct her, but then Talanah spoke again. "This one?"Talanah knocked on the door.

"I'll open it," Avad said as he moved past her.

He pushed open the door and stepped through it. A rush of wind met him, knocking him back against the wall. The ledge was big enough to walk two by two, but the long drop still felt closer than Avad would like it to be. They were so high up it was difficult to even make out the ground below.

"Ah!" Talanah stepped out onto the ledge; she immediately flattened herself against the wall, her bulging eyes fixed on the chasm before them.

"I apologize, I should have warned you," Avad said. "At least this path isn't very long."

From here Avad led. He shuffled closer to the wall than he needed to, but the wind still felt strong enough to blow him right off the ledge.

Avad looked back at Talanah. "Are you all right?"

Talanah briefly nodded.

The ledge was right under the palace, hidden by a rock ridge. The wind carried faint sounds of voices. Despite knowing it made no sense, Avad strained to hear Aloy's voice. Of course he couldn't hear her voice, but he just wanted confirmation that Aloy was at the palace. Avad hadn't let himself consider what he'd do if she wasn't in the holding cells. _Or if…_ Avad shook the thought from his mind.

Avad realised this was a trap, (or perhaps _hoped,_ because the alternative was worse). By using this path, this secret passage the Shadow Carja had no knowledge of, Avad hoped they could get the upper hand. There weren't many people left in Avad's life who he felt strongly connected to; the relief he felt when Vanasha and Aloy had brought back his little brother, wasn't enough to erase the pain of losing his older brother, his friends during the rebellion, Ersa... and even his father.

Avad hated his father for what he had done to his people, to Meridian, to the Sundom, and Avad wouldn't change what he did to save Meridian, but part of him couldn't help but mourn his father.

When Hades attacked and Avad'd had to watch Aloy go and face Helis, he had been so scared. He'd tried to stop her, fight Helis in her stead, but of course she had not let him. When Avad saw the spire light up, and he knew Aloy had stopped Hades, he felt relieved for Meridian, for the Sundom, but first and foremost because he knew that meant Aloy was still alive.

"We can enter the palace from here," Avad said as they reached a ladder disguised as a natural stone formation. "This leads to a passageway underneath the palace, one that leads directly to the main bedroom. From there we will have to slip out of the palace and get to the other side of the clearing, to the entrance of the underground holding cells."  
"Do you think there will be any Shadow Carja in the Palace?" Talanah asked.

"They have taken over the city, but I can't imagine them utilizing the palace; difficult to hold up the pretense nothing is wrong, that they are not taking over in my absence, if there's suddenly someone other than me living in the palace."

Avad climbed the ladder first. At the top there was the entrance of yet another tunnel, one much smaller, just big enough to crawl through. There was barely any light in there, just what little seeped in through the cracks, enough to remember what way was up, not enough to see what was coming. Every few metres Talanah would bump into Avad and murmur a quick 'sorry.'

Soon they reached the grate on the other side, Avad pushed it open and they both slipped into the room. The room on the other side was dark, but still brighter than the oppressive darkness of the passage. Small decorative openings carved in the wooden walls let in some light from the outside, it wasn't enough to light the room, but the room was familiar enough to Avad for it to not matter.

"Be careful," Avad said as he pushed a table out of the way.

"I think you were right; I don't think anyone has this room in use," Talanah said.

Avad picked up the book lying on his desk. It was a book about old Carja myths he'd been meaning to gift Aloy, it that night they met up, but in all his enthusiasm, he had forgotten it on his desk. It hadn't been moved in the time he'd been on the run.

Talanah looked around the space and studied Avad's movements. "This… is _your_ room, isn't it?"

Avad turned to see Talanah looking at a canvas hanging on his wall, it was decorated with Nora symbols. Avad wondered what Talanah thought about it, and if she was going to ask him why it was hanging on his wall.

"Yes it is," Avad said as he put the book back down on the desk.

This used to be his father's room. On the door there were still many extra locking mechanisms his father had had installed, and there was the escape tunnel he'd commissioned. This was at the height of his father's paranoia, when he would not even allow his own sons to see him. When he spent every day waiting for his enemies.

 _Maybe he wasn't paranoid after all,_ Avad thought to himself, as he considered how it had all ended.

"If there are any guards outside of the palace, we should be able to surprise them. The guards probably expect us to come from the bridge, not from inside the palace. They are probably guarding the routes they expect us to take, not an empty palace," Talanah said.

Avad nodded. "Follow me, I know the way."

Avad opened the bedroom door, just a crack, just enough so he could peek into the hallway. The hallway was dark and silent. Avad's room was on the ground floor, so all Avad and Talanah had to do was reach the front door and cross the courtyard to get to the entrance of the holding cells.

Avad signaled for Talanah to follow him and both of them slipped out of the room. With bated breath they passed the many doors of the hallway, both of them listening for any guards that might surprise them.

At the front door, Avad carefully pushed the door open, while Talanah waited next to him. He cracked the door just enough to peek through it. Avad froze. Very close to the door the were standing at, there was a single guard posted. Thankfully the guard didn't seem to notice the door being opened.

Avad looked around the clearing; there were no other guards he could see. They knew the Shadow Carja were stretched thin trying to control the city, and the Shadow Carja's leadership clearly wasn't at the palace, so the few guards here were probably guarding the holding cells.

Avad turned to Talanah and held up one finger to tell her how many guards there were. Talanah peeked through the door as well and nodded at Avad. Talanah pushed through the door. Avad watched as she grabbed the guard and knocked him out, before the man even seemed to realise what was happening. Avad helped Talanah drag the guard inside.

"Now we just have to get to the holding cells," Avad said and walked out the front door. When he looked up, he froze. Across the courtyard another guard had appeared. And he was looking right at Avad. Avad was about to turn and warn Talanah, when he noticed someone appear behind the guard. _Aloy_.


	9. Chapter 9

Aloy held her breath as she climbed the stairs. Aloy looked over her shoulder at Jorgriz, who looked even more worried than she did. Possibly because he was going to have to explain to the other guards how she had escaped. Or why her equipment was gone. Aloy had told Jorgriz to say she'd managed to grab him and threatened to kill him unless he handed over the keys and told her where to find her weapons, but would they believe him? And would it even matter? Maybe the Shadow Carja would punish Jorgriz severely regardless. Jorgriz shared her fears, but refused to come with Aloy, for fear of what the Shadow Carja might do to his family.

Aloy froze when she spotted the guard near the top of the stairs. The guard was slouching, leaning on his spear, nodding off. Aloy slowly made her way to the guard, as she reached him, she was close enough to the top of the stairs to just look over the top of the stairs. She drew in a sharp intake of breath, as Aloy spotted a second guard, standing nearer the palace itself. That guard looked more alert, but he wasn't looking in the direction of the stairs. Aloy took her chance. She leaped up, grabbing the slouching guard near her by the back of his uniform, dragging him to the floor. His helmet flew through the air, clattering on the tiles. If the other guard noticed, he was too late. Aloy dragged the guard out of sight, and quickly ended him with her spear.

Aloy peeked above the top of the stairs to see where the other guard was. She'd expected to see him approaching the stairs, sure he must have heard the commotion, but he was gone. She looked closer and noticed the palace doors were open. Maybe the guard had gone inside?

Aloy looked behind her to see Jorgriz still at the beginning of the stairs. She motioned for him to come join her, but he shook his head. "I can't," he said.

Aloy bit her lip, she glanced at the top of the stairs and Jorgriz. "Jorgriz, we can go get your family, before the Shadow Carja realise you're gone."

Jorgriz shook his head again. "Not all of them, and even if they were safe the Shadow Carja would just attack the Heap."

They'd had this discussion before and Aloy already knew all of Jorgriz' arguments, but it still felt wrong to leave him behind.

"Aloy, please leave before other guards come," Jorgriz said. By the tone of his voice it was clear she wouldn't be able to change his mind this time either.

Aloy hesitated but then said, "Thank you, Jorgriz." He nodded in response before disappearing back to the cells.

Aloy turned to the top of the stairs again and looked around the courtyard, trying to remember the way she had escaped the palace once before. Before she could see her way out, the palace's door opened further. Aloy's body tensed up, ready to run or fight. But then she saw who came out of the palace.

" _Avad,_ " Aloy whispered to herself at the sight of the him peeking through the door.

Aloy scrambled up the last few stairs and started running towards Avad before even wondering if someone would spot her.

Avad spotted her running across the courtyard. "Aloy!" Avad said louder than he should, and he rushed forward to meet her, catching her in his arms when they met. Aloy was too happy to see him to worry about being seen. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm so happy to see you, I'm so happy you're safe," Avad whispered into her hair, his arms tightening a little more around her.

"Me too," Aloy replied and hugged him tighter as well.

Avad pulled back a little, cupped Aloy's face, pulling her into a sweet kiss. She kissed him back happily.

"How did you-" Talanah asked as she pushed through the door, before abruptly stopping as she spotted Aloy and Avad.

Avad and Aloy broke apart, but Avad quickly took Aloy's hand, and she let him.

"One of the guards let me out," Aloy said.

"One of the guards?" Avad asked.

"Yes, Jorgriz, I knew him before. He didn't believe what they were saying about me and didn't want to see me executed."

"They wouldn't have executed you," Talanah said.

"No, I know what they were really aiming for," Aloy said, barely looking at Avad.

"But the Shadow Carja didn't expect us to come in through the palace; they're guarding the wrong places," Avad said, defending himself against Aloy's unvoiced accusation.

"Yes but you still shouldn't have risked yourself," Aloy said.

"Would you not have come for me?" Avad locked eyes with Aloy, as if daring her to tell him again how he should have abandoned her.

Aloy bit her lip and looked down, her eyes lingering at their interlocked hands. "Can we escape the way you came in?" Aloy asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, it's through here," Avad said.

Avad pulled Aloy into the palace and down a long hallway. At the end he pushed open a door to what Aloy quickly recognised as a bedroom.

Aloy looked around the large room, her eyes briefly resting on the many locks on the door, as Avad led her to the far wall.

"There's a tunnel that leads outside the city, just behind that grate," Avad said.

Aloy looked around the room again, and then noticed a large canvas hanging on the wall, it features several Nora designs. It looked out of place between all the red and gold Carja decorations of the room. Aloy didn't remember seeing any Nora designs in the city; this was the only time she had seen something from the Nora on display in Meridian.

Aloy turned to Avad. "This is your room?"

Avad's eyes flashed to the canvas Aloy was looking at. "Yes," he said.

Aloy couldn't help but smile to herself.

"It was my father's before me," Aloy added, sounding eager to move on, "we have him to thank for the escape route."

Aloy nodded, but her attention was still on the canvas. The room was full of personal items, it made her feel like she was invading Avad's privacy, seeing things he might not want to share with her. It was strange to be in a place so personal during a time like this.

"Aloy?" Avad's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. He took her hand and pulled her with him. Talanah stayed behind, giving Avad and Aloy some privacy.

"Aloy," Avad said when they reach the far corner of the room. His voice was soft enough to not be overheard. "I'm… I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"I… I let them take you."

"You didn't _let them_ take me, we all-"

"If I had killed that guard, if I hadn't hesitated, they wouldn't have taken you."

Aloy blinked at Avad, trying to understand what he even meant.

"If I hadn't hesitated…"

"Avad," Aloy placed her hand on his shoulder. "No, that's not… You shouldn't blame yourself."

"I have killed before but I just couldn't…"

Avad sat down on a large red sofa that was standing against the wall. Aloy sat down next to him.

"When we overthrew my father," Avad started, his eyes on his hands, "we came into the city with a large force, but only a few of us pressed forward to the palace. My father was still holed up in this room, behind all those locks," Avad gestured to the door and its many locking mechanisms. Avad's voice was calm, almost detached, as he kept talking, clearly just wanting to get through it. "But we managed to get through the door. And then… There were others there... I could've asked them but…"

Aloy realised now what Avad was telling her. She reached out and tentatively put her hand on his, unsure if he wanted her to. Avad looked up at her and briefly smiled as he closed his hand around hers.

"I felt I couldn't ask them… it was _my_ responsibility." Avad paused.. "I killed him, I killed my father. In this room." He didn't look at her, and moved uneasy on the sofa. "And I… think I just couldn't… in that hallway, I couldn't… not again."

Aloy moved closer to Avad. "I understand," she said, squeezing his hand. "But I hope you don't feel like you need to explain yourself to me, I don't blame you, and you shouldn't either."

Avad looked up at her and smiled, he reached out and adjusted a lock of her hair. "I know, Aloy. I just wanted you to know."

Aloy reached out, wanting to hug Avad, but hesitating before reaching him, but Avad quickly closed the distanced and wrapped his arms around her. Aoy hugged him back and they sat like that for a while.

"We should go," Avad said eventually as he slowly let go of Aloy.

Aloy nodded.

Avad got up from the sofa, offering Aloy his hand to help her up. They walked back over to Talanah, who was still standing near the entrance of the escape tunnel. She turned around when she heard them approach. "Ready to leave?" she asked. Both of them nodded in response.

The way back through the escape tunnel was as smooth as it could be. All three of them travelling in silence as they moved through the tunnels, safely out of sight from anyone who might recognise them. If the other guards had discovered Aloy's escape, there were no alarms being rung that they could hear, hidden as they were now.

When the three of them finally reached the end, they all climbed out of the tunnel, echoing each other's relieve to be free from the cramp spaces. Aloy stretched her sore limbs as she checked to see where the tunnel had led them. They were at the edge of Meridian village. It was busy in the village, but no one seemed to notice them in the secluded area they were.

"Ilad's estate is a little away from the village," Talanah said. "It shouldn't take us long to get there."

"And when we do?" Avad asked.

"We find the leadership," Aloy said, "hopefully."

"Should we rest first?" Talanah asked.

Aloy hesitated, almost too eager to get this over with to recognise it was a good idea. FInally she said, "Yes, it will be best if we wait until it's dark."

"I agree," Avad said, and then when he noticed the two women looking at him added: "You're not planning on leaving me behind, are you?"

Aloy shaked her head. "I think we need to go in together," she said. Avad noticeably relaxed at the answer. Aloy wished she could leave Avad behind, but there was no way of knowing what they would find at the estate, and they needed all the help they could get. There was no way to contact Marad and Vanasha needed to protect Avad's brother, so Avad, Talanah and Aloy would have to go in together.

They found a spot near a rockwall, a little hidden spot there, hidden from curious passersby by the trees and rocks. After they finished off the last of their supplies, Talanah turned to Aloy and Avad, "Should we get some sleep before we leave?"

"I don't think I could sleep right now," Aloy said.

"I couldn't sleep right now, either," Avad said.

Talanagh bit her lip, "Do you mind if _I_ get some sleep?"

"No, of course not," Aloy said, "we'll wake you up when it's dark enough to go."

Talanah smiled weakly, the exhaustion showing on her face. She walked to the most secluded place in the clearing and laid down on the dry grass. From here Aloy could only see Talanah's feet.

Aloy and Avad sat in silence for a little while. Aloy felt oddly awkward around him in this silence. Over these past days, some things had happened between Aloy and Avad, and it had left her unsure of how to act around him. What were they to each other now? Everything that had happened between them, was all in the heat of the moment, would that mean anything when things went back to normal?

After a short while Aloy was pulled out of her thoughts by a sudden deep sound coming from the corner Talanah was sleeping. _She's snoring_ , Aloy realised.

Aloy and Avad's eyes met and they both laughed. Aloy glanced at Talanah, or at least her feet. When she looked back at Avad he was quiet, but looking so intently at her with his soft brown eyes, she felt her face flush. "She sure fell asleep quickly, didn't she?" Aloy asked.

Avad just nodded quickly, but didn't say anything.

Aloy glanced at him, he was no longer looking at her and his face was unreadable, and she couldn't help but think back to the Sun Ring.

"Is something the matter?" Avad asked after catching Aloy staring.

She shook her head, but Avad kept his eyes on her, waiting for her full response. "It… it was just strange seeing you as the Sun-King again, I guess over the past few days I had gotten used to seeing you as just Avad."

Avad frowned at that. "And now?"

"And now… I guess it was just a reminder that you are still the Sun-King." Aloy stopped herself from saying anything more, not wanting to betray how it had made her feel.

"I'm still just Avad, even when I wear a crown," Avad said, "And at any rate I'm not at the palace now."

"Yes, but after this is over-"

"After this is over, things _will_ be different," Avad said.

Aloy raised her eyebrows.

Avad shifted, his gaze on the ground as he considered his next words. "I've been trying to change the Sundom since taking the throne, as you know, and I think I've been too careful." He looked over at Aloy. "The work has been too slow. After hearing what the young hunter's son told you in the Hunters' Lodge, and after what happened at the Sun-Ring, I think change has been coming too slowly."

"The Hunters' Lodge I understand, but we don't even know why the priest betrayed us."

"I do," Avad said. "For years I've had nobles come and complain to me about their lost influence, their lost wealth, their lost power. But they are not the only ones who have lost some of their power since I took the throne from my father. My father's bloody reign centred the Sun Faith, it was the Sun-Priests who decided who was guilty or not, they who organised the sacrifices, they who received the gifts meant to placate the Sun."

"You stopped all that?"

"Yes, I return them to their original function, and while the Sun Faith is still important to many citizens, it no longer wields the power it did, and with it their wealth has decreased as well. The gifts to the Sun now are smaller, tribute, not placation."

"And you think the Sun-Priests joined the Shadow Carja to regain their power?"

"Some of them have," Avad said. He leaned forward, letting his head rest in his hands. He let out a long sigh. "There is still so much that has to change to get the Sundom where it could be, and I've taken too long."

"I don't think that's true," Aloy said and she leaned forward to give Avad's arm a quick squeeze. Avad looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you, but things have to change."

"So what are you planning?"

A brief moment of excitement flashed across Avad's face. "Can I tell you what I _want_ to do?"

"Of course?" Aloy looked at him curiously.

"One man high in his palace, looking down on all the small people," Avad looked pointedly at Aloy, and she realised he was using her words, words she'd spoken to him years ago, "that's not what I want Meridian to be, that's not what I the Sundom to be. One man should not wield this much power over this many people. My father has proven as much."

"But you've led your people fairly," Aloy said. She agreed with Avad, but at the same time didn't want to listen to him downplaying his accomplishments.

Avad cocked an eyebrow. "And the Sun-King after me?"

"I know, but-"

"These past days have proven I have failed my people, or at least some of them. I've tried, yes, but that is not enough."

"You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in the Sundom."

"I can't be the Sun-King, and not take responsibility for everything that happens under my rule, Aloy. I have failed, but I can't imagine what Sun-King wouldn't. There are too many parts of the city hidden from me, my advisers can only do so much, and the only citizens who can speak to me are the nobility. As long as those things do not change, I will never be able to improve the city, much less the Sundom."

"How do you plan on changing that?"

Excitement returned to Avad's face. "I want to create a council, not one with just a few advisers already close to me, not one with just the nobility, I want a council of citizens. People from all parts of Meridian and eventually the whole of the Sundom. I want people who can represent the people I never hear, and tell me what needs to happen to improve those lives." Avad turned to Aloy fully and took her hands in his. "And eventually, I want the council to rule the Sundom."

Aloy felt her heart flutter, because she understood why Avad was so happy to tell her, why he was holding onto her while he did, he knew as well as she did what that would mean for them. A future.

"And you would lead the council?"

Avad raised his eyebrows. "For the first years, yes, but I hope the council can lead itself eventually. If after some years I still feel the council needs a leader, I will find a way for one to be chosen, but no one who will wield as much power as a Sun-King again."

Looking at Avad, Aloy couldn't help but hope. She knew how difficult this was, she knew how the SUndom looked at the Sun-King, and it would not be easy to change that. But she couldn't stop that small flicker of hope inside her chest from growing.

Avad was looking at her with the same kind of warmth in his eyes, but Aloy didn't understand where his came from. "What?" she asked, shifting uncomfortable under his gaze.

"I was just thinking," Avad said slowly, as if unsure if he should speak, "how happy I am you came back to Meridian. I don't think I would have had the courage to even consider this plan, if I hadn't spent these past days with you."

Aloy blinked at him.

"I mean it, you've made me see it's time, pushed me to do better." Avad hesitated. "And of course, I… missed you."

Avad paused, and Aloy was unsure if he was waiting for a response. When it looked he was about to speak again, she quickly - but quietly - said, "I missed you too."

Avad smiled in response. "Regardless of what happens at Ilad's estate, regardless of what has happened, getting to spend this time with you, these past few days, has been wonderful."

Aloy didn't know how to respond, part of her wanted to joke about the danger they had been in these past days, but she was rendered mute by the look in Avad's eyes.

Avad took her face in his hands and gently pulled her in. Aloy felt her heart flutter as his lips brushed against hers. He looked deep into her eyes before going in for a deeper kiss. Aloy's hands moved up Avad's arms, her fingers burying in his hair, as he gently pushed her back against the grass and-

"Oww!" Aloy sprung up as one of the bows strapped to her back poked against her spine.

"Are you all right?" Avad asked.

Aloy rubbed her back. "Yes, I just forgot about these," she said as she took the bows off her back and laid them in the grass..

"I apologize, I got carried away," Avad said. His eyes moved to the two bows Aloy had now laid down in the grass. "That does not look comfortable," he joked, pointing at the larger bow.

"It was actually that one poking me," Aloy pointed at the smaller bow. It was old and damaged, the paint was faded, and many of the beads had fallen off. The string hadn't been strung for years and it was raffling at the end.

"You can hunt with that bow?" Avad asked.

"I don't use it anymore."

"But you still carry it with you?"

"It was a gift," Aloy bit her lip. She had never shared this story with anyone before. "It was my very first bow. Rost made it for me, when I was a child."

Avad gave her a small smile. While he had never heard this story before, he did know who Rost was to Aloy, and what had happened to him. "You still carry it with you, after all these years?"

Aloy picked the bow up and ran her fingers over its weathered wood. "I guess it just reminds me of home; when I carry it with me, I feel like I'm carrying a tiny bit of home."

Avad laid his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, you most still miss him dearly."

"I don't think that ever goes away." Aloy looked up at Avad. "You must miss your brother as well."

Avad nodded. He looked at the bow. "I still have a few of his things in the palace, those my father didn't burn after his death."

It looked like Avad would continue his story, but then he suddenly shifted so he was sitting on his knees, leaning forward. "Aloy, I… I don't want to miss you, when we get to Ilad, please just… just be careful. I've had to watch you almost get killed before, back when you went to face Hades…" Avad shook his head. "When the spiral activated again and I knew you were safe. I… I've never felt so relieved in my life. I wanted to tell you then, but it was too soon. And then you left."

"Tell me what?" Aloy asked, for the first time not scared of the answer, instead desperate to hear it from Avad.

Avad moved closer, taking her hands in his. "Tell you that I'm in love with you."

Aloy's heart skipped a beat at those words. Avad was keeping her gaze, his hands still holding hers, as his thumbs tracing circles over her skin. In that moment he seemed so confident, but also so vulnerable, so _honest_ , Aloy couldn't help but do the same.

"I'm in love with you too," she said, her voice soft.

Avad's face lit up. A smile starting in his eyes, spread across his features. He rushed forward in a kiss, and Aloy eagerly met him, his soft mouth working against hers, their lips parting at the same time as they deepened the kiss. Avad wrapped his arms around Aloy, moving forward with enough force to make them collapsed to the ground together. Aloy didn't care. The grass was soft and warm from the sun. She wrapped her arms around Avad, pulling him closer against her. Avad let out a soft moan at that, eagerly responding to her. When they parted, both of them were breathing heavily. For a moment Aloy regretted Talanah's presence; she wanted to be alone with Avad.

Avad followed Aloy's gaze and understood what she was worried about. He rolled on his side, so he was lying next to her, his hand playing with her hair. There was still a smile playing around his lips. Avad reached out and traced his face with her fingers. She hadn't felt this free around him before. Something had changed, somewhere along the line she had stopped trying to push away what she was feeling. Lying here in the grass with Avad she felt more happy than she had in years.

Avad leaned in to give her a quick, chaste kiss. "Aloy," he whispered, his face still close to hers, "I want us to be together."

Aloy felt herself smile before she could even process the words. Her heart beating eagerly in her chest. But at the same time, Avad's words reminded her of the reality of their situation. "I don't know if I can stay in Meridian," she said, "I have more to see, there are mysteries I still want to explore."

"And I would never ask you not to do that," Avad said, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "Go where you will, do what you want. I just ask you come back home to me."

"You could live like that?" Aloy asked. "I could be gone for many days at a time."

Avad laughed softly. "Aloy, I've waited _years_ for you to come back."

Aloy felt her face flush at those words. "Yes, but that was different, we weren't together."

"Hmm," Avad gave her another quick kiss, "but I was already yours." Avad held her gaze.

Aloy looked at him and thought back over the past few days, and then the past few years. "You really think this could work?"

Avad nodded.

"But you're free to say no, of course," Avad said, suddenly unsure, perhaps worried he was pressuring her.

Aloy shook her head. "I don't want to say no, Avad," she said, "I... want to be with you."

A beaming smile formed on his face once more as he pulled her into his arms for a kiss.

When they broke for air, they both laid down in the grass again. Aloy rested her head on Avad's chest. Neither of them spoke as they laid there, enjoying each other's presence as they watched the sun move closer to the horizon.


End file.
